


Passage to Zandalar

by cymrymira



Series: The Adventures of Kit and Leona and a Few Other Friends! [19]
Category: Original characters - Fandom, World of Warcraft
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 14:36:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 22,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17184839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cymrymira/pseuds/cymrymira
Summary: The BFA plot lines up until Winter Veil!





	1. Summons

**Summons**

Mira took a deep breath as she penned the letter to Cero, informing him that all was well. Kit had seen the best healer she knew, other than Raine, and that the Young Mistress was making a full recovery from injuries sustained in trying to evacuate the World Tree. Leona was doing just as well, if not better, they had retrieved her wayward friend, and Mira was keeping careful eye on any complications that would arise from that situation.

Holding the letter up, she let the pale blue flames dancing on her fingers burn the paper, knowing that wherever he was, her former Master would be receiving the letter in the same manner. Then she got up from her desk, going to look over her experiment notes and medical charts, filing it all herself now that her assistant had officially retired, and cleaned up her laboratory to close it for the night.

She was not making a breakthrough on the azerite. All signs pointed to it being a volatile substance, the lifeblood of the planet itself, but nothing pointed to why or how it got into Leona’s bloodstream, yet that in itself explained why the girl was healing rather rapidly from what would otherwise be fatal wounds.

Mira didn’t trust it to  _continue_  protecting her daughter.

Varotin and Vonic were being kept busy trying to heal what they could, even with the Sword being neutralized. She spoke briefly with her fiance through their bond, getting his opinion on what it could mean, and the best either could come up with was maybe it was Azeroth’s way of keeping her end of the Oath Leona had made.

_She gave up her heart in those stupid Trials, now Azeroth wants her to hold her own._

The thought did very little to comfort her.  _Who in their right mind trusts a world soul to a thirteen year old child! Especially one that trusts nearly every person she meets…_

Mira covered her face with her hands,“…Azeroth isn’t asking Leona to watch the heart, she’s asking all of us… next we need that dwarf King to call us to give us little shards of… gods above and below, what a wonderful time for war to break out!” she took a deep breath, reeled in the flames dancing on her fingers before they turned to the black of destruction or even worse, the rarely seen clear white of devastation, and locked up the laboratory and went home. Yet when she got there, she took the small dinner Levi had made her and went to her office to sit at her desk and take out her notebooks, reading over the research again, trying to see what it was that she had missed.

A burst of verdant flame and she reached up to catch the letter Cero had written, blinking at the quick unexpected reply, and glanced over the contents before abruptly standing up.

Calling over the bloodstone for Leona to come, she pulled out a suitcase and started letting things float into it as she paced about muttering to herself,“…need to inform Darnath and Lyren, must remember to leave the medicine for Zaer out for the… prepare more of the injections… Leona and Neri will have to come with me… Levi won’t need to…”

She took a deep breath, calming herself again. Cero and Theravir would certainly not judge her for taking her time to ensure everything was well taken care of, and she was not there to help with the negotiations they were doing. She would be there for the finalization of it, for lessons her former Master had yet to give to his apprentice, and ones she desperately needed if she was to figure out the mystery of the azerite.

Leona ran into the office then, Neri close behind her, “Mama, what’s wrong?”

“Go and pack your things dearests,” Mira smiled, “We’re going on a trip to Zandalar,” at both the girls’ apparent confusion, “The General is finalizing a treaty with that empire and Crimson Wings, he requested that I join him, and I’m taking you both with me. Neri is still healing and I need to keep an eye on her, I’ll clear it with her father.”

The two glanced at each other and then back at her, “It’d be an adventure, I’ve never been.”

Mira frowned, “We’re only going for talks. It’d be rather boring I’m afraid. But I suppose there’s no harm in the two of you exploring the city, and who knows, the General may have some odd jobs for me that I could use help with,” at her daughter’s crestfallen face she sighed and smiled, “Alright, I promise, we’ll at least find  _one_  adventure. But only carry your practice swords in the Bazaar, I don’t want you causing any unnecessary havoc in one of your brawls.”

“I promise Mama… is that where he’s been all this time? Should we tell Kit?”

“The Young Mistress will make her own way in her own time after she heals,” Mira smiled, “I dare say that this will be good for both of you, neither one of you had lessons in diplomacy before, it’s time you learned how to charm an enemy as opposed to bashing their skull in.”

“Er… don’t y’have to talk good for that?” Neri asked, then glanced at Leona, “And wear  _fancy_  stuff and t’like.”

“I can arrange for speech lessons, and I understand you can only read and write a little, we’ll have to remedy that,” she took out a notebook and started writing, “We’ll have lessons in the morning, and then you’ll come with me to the negotiations to observe, that leaves you free after lunch for…”

“What about Papa’s training?”

“You get up well before breakfast to do all that,” Mira pointed out, “I say free afternoons are a fair deal, provided neither one of you get into any trouble. Besides, I’d actually like your opinions on the proceedings.”

“Y’sure?” Neri asked quietly, “I mean… what d’we know ‘bout anythin’, we’re just kids.”

“A lot more than either of you give yourself credit for,” she put down the notebook, “Leona, remember why you got so angry at that strange black dragon that spoke with you? How you felt she shouldn’t manipulate the people of this world? You knew that was wrong. You knew what she was saying was wrong… and you’re right. Yet, so was she, governments make foolish mistakes all the time. Therefore, if you want to help without manipulation, then you need to learn how to watch for the pitfalls often tripped into. Besides,” she shrugged, “Operatives do need a fair amount of training in intrigue. Maybe we can convince Haidee and Talah to join us. It’d be a shame to break up the club now that we reunited you.”

Leona and Neri glanced at each other, then both nodded, “But Mama, no lace. Like at ALL.”

“They don’t seem very fond of it, but I promise.”

She grinned, “…Come on Mama, admit that you’re excited to be going on an adventure. I mean, this time no one’s kidnapped, or there’s no weird cult, or ANYTHING! We’re just going because the General wanted you to do the boring stuff for him. So, it’d just be  _fun_ once we take care of that.”

“Don’t borrow trouble dearest, we haven’t gotten there yet,”Mira frowned as she watched them run off. Why  _was_  the General trusting her with this, what dangers did he see that he needed her there for?  
  
She had a feeling that these negotiations were not to be as boring as she told Leona they would be.  
  
But then, with her former master involved, nothing really was. He just had a bit more subtleness to his adventures than his adopted daughter did.


	2. Arrival

**Arrival**

Zandalar was in sight, and both girls stared in wonder at the temple rising over the ocean as the boat sailed closer, Leona forgetting that she hadn’t been allowed to sit up in the rigging, Neri forgetting her strange case of sea-sickness. Mira stood behind them, the only one with a sense of foreboding as she looked at what was to be their new home for the duration of her strange mission from the General.

_Blood magic is forbidden here. Hide any evidence you have before coming._

She had to leave the bloodstones in her laboratory, the one that had been in Leona’s earring had been destroyed, leaving her fully unable to track her daughter outside of whatever systems Darnath and Judessa had placed on his communicators for those organizations.

_“We’re not going to get seperated Mama,” Leona promised, “It’s an adventure for all of us, it’ll be fun. And if we do, then you’ll know where I am because you have the Crimson Wings and Atlas radios too.”_

_“And worse case scenario?” Mira raised an eyebrow, “We must plan for that as well dearest, what if the communicators can’t work on Zandalar?”_  
  
_“…I’m pretty sure they planned for all that…”_

_“Leona, the General warned me of hidden dangers as well, we go into this with our eyes and ears open, not with some foolish naivety on how much fun we’ll be having.”_

_Her daughter nodded, “If that happens, then you get us out of there, and I’ll call that name… from what you told me whoever she is, she’ll protect you… and we lay low until we can meet up again. I still have the stones. Between those and the comms, I can get in touch with someone you consider a responsible adult, and get to safety.”_

_“I’ll need your promise on that. If the worst comes, you girls stay hidden, stay out of trouble, and wait on my return to you.”_

_Leona took a deep breath, “I promise Mama… but what if we can’t get in contact with you?”_

_Mira frowned, “…Then that means that I no longer have my communicator, and you try calling your father first, but…” she chewed the inside of her cheek, “…no. Forget me if that happens, get to safety, tell the trusted adults.”_

_Her daughter narrowed her eyes, “…Mama…”_

_“I can be compromised dearest, you cannot. If they find what I am… either one of those, then we will need to seperate. You get to safety and tell the others we trust, don’t worry on me.”_

Calls and movement on the deck broke her out of her thoughts as the crew scurried to prepare to dock, and she got out of way as best as she could. After a moment of chaos, Leona sighed and just grabbed her mother and Neri and pulled them both over to stand in one spot as they pulled into the Port.

They had never seen anything like this, the places where Neri had grown up seemed tiny by comparison, and in the short time she was a rigger, Leona had never been to a port like this.

Mira hid a smile at the look in her daughter’s eyes, that boat on the island was still being worked on, but she knew that there would be a day when it was finished, and she may not see Leona for a rather long time.

_For a dragon of the earth, it is easy to tell she belongs to the sea._

They stepped foot on the walkway into the main city, and the dam broke, both girls started talking as they looked around the Grand Bazaar, Mira following close behind and watching for the General’s contact to guide them to the Great Seal, another eye kept on the people here, frowning as she remembered the warnings he had given her, her own observations backing up what he had already said.  
  
As peaceful as this city seemed, it was on the brink of destruction.

It weighed heavily on her thoughts as they made their way to their new quarters, and she took a moment to take out one of her notebooks from her bag once there. The girls placed their things on their bed and Neri started to unpack and carefully put things away as Leona hopped from one part of the room to the other.

“Did you see all the dinosaurs? And the stores? We’re going to spend oodles of time exploring!”

“We’re expected in the ambassador hall in the Great Seal in the next few moments,” Mira said quietly, “Leona, you need to change.”

“What’s wrong with what I…”

“It’s dirty,” Neri answered before Mira could, and Leona sighed at the raised eyebrow from her mother before going to grab a light-green sundress.

“No lessons for today I promise,” Mira covered her mouth with her hand, “After the introductions, and I’ll inform those there that you two are allowed to run errands and messages, you can both run and explore the Bazaar… remember Leona, your training swords. Neri, I’ll be introducing you as my apprentice.”

The girl blinked in surprise, “Me? But I don’t do magic or anythin’.”

“Oh I have a feeling you’ll take to a few spells. And I’ll teach you small enchantments and cantrips. Mostly it’s for appearances. This way you can stay silent for the first few proceedings until we get your speech classes underway. Granted, I want them to underestimate all three of us.”

“That’s really cool,” Leona breathed, then paused, “…she’s not helping you in the lab Mama.”

“No, I’ll teach her how to utilize my clinic though. One of you needs to learn basic first aid.”

“Ain’t tha’ t’truth,” Neri grinned, “Bu… why do y’want them to underestimate us? Ain’t we here t’open trade?”

“Yeah, don’t we want them to think we… I dunno, have something to offer them?”

Mira smiled, “The General already showed that. I want them to underestimate us, so they foolishly send you girls on errands that may prove suspicions of mine to be true. If they think us weaker than we are, or less intelligent than we are, then they will make a mistake in exploiting services.”

“…our running errands.”

“Exactly. Haven’t you noticed?”

Leona and Neri blinked, then Mira tapped the stone on the bracelet her daughter had given her some time ago, and Neri took out the new dolphin pendant Leona had recently remade for her to stare at it in wonder.

“…since when?” the red-head asked in surprise, “And how come we didn’t notice?”

“I added a small cantrip, when we came into the room and asked you to change,” Mira took a deep breath, “Alright girls, come here and I’ll brush out your hair.”  
  
It took them a moment to figure that last was said aloud, and Leona glanced suspiciously at the stones, before walking over to Mira.

“You didn’t notice because you two have been talking like that since a few days ago, I merely just directed attention elsewhere so we could have a more private conversation. But I promise Leona, I won’t piggy back on your stones any longer. I apologize for doing it without permission this time.”

Leona grinned as Mira brushed her hair into the low pigtails, “It’s fine Mama. See, we’re already having an adventure.”

Her mother chuckled, though her smile faded as they finished getting ready.

She had a very good feeling that she would have to use more than just one trick to navigate the storm heading their way. Mira just hoped that she had enough clever ruses to keep the girls safe, much less throw a wrench in whatever machinations were already in place here.


	3. Lessons

**Lessons**

The first week had Leona and Neri fall into a routine of sorts. The younger girl would wake up her friend at a time the elder complained no living being had a right to be awake, and then she would have them begin the rigorous and to Neri’s mind, exhausting training regiment that she had started when Kit was raising the young dragon. Then the two would shower and change clothing for breakfast and Mira’s lessons on diplomacy. After that, there would be a few hours in the throne room or in discussions with the Princess or Warlords that both had to be very still and very quiet during, then they were dismissed for lunch and their promised free afternoon. **  
**

This afternoon, Leona gotten asked to run messages, the second time she was able to do so, and was even to go outside the city to the Warport Rastari, and Leona was thrilled. Neri… was considerably less than, but she had been fighting some strange illness she attributed to the wound on her stomach and her missing left arm, and opted to stay with Mira in more meetings.

“I’m y’Mama’s ‘prentice anyways, ‘sides, tha’s way out, an’ I’m no good in a fight righ’ now.”

“Take care of yourself, Mama makes good medicines… just don’t eat her cooking,” Leona grinned, “I’m taking my bags, so in a pinch, I can have my real weapons if I need them.”

“Y’need ‘em, didja see that look Zul gave? Somethin’s up. I only wish we coulda read those messages y’delivered in t’Bazaar the other day.”

“If something happens, Udon will come straight back, and I’ve got Asca too.”

“Tha’ scaredy-cat?”

“He can fly back quickly. Especially if it’s  _out_  of trouble,” Leona grinned, “And the armor here is real light compared to my normal stuff, so I’m even quicker in a fight! No worries Neri!”

She was trying to remember that this was a mission and not fun. On her end, Neri was having the same problem, being allowed to sit in a Court with REGALNESS and FANCY, even if she was to be quiet and listen.

Both girls were failing miserably at remembering this was all very Serious. They were enjoying themselves too much. Except, Neri had a nagging worry in the back of her mind.

She sighed as she watched Leona hop on Asca and fly off, then reached up to her left shoulder to ensure her sleeve was still pinned closed. Absolutely no good in a fight, she had even tried sitting and pulling the bowstring with her foot to dismal failure. Mira and Leona both assured her that once they got in touch with Darnath again, he could make her another arm.

But she was more than grateful for Mira’s lessons. And… she guessed being able to fight with a knife or the dart launcher Mira had adjusted in her bracer would do for now. If things got that desperate.

Luckily Leona’s Mama was right on one thing, Neri was taking to casting small spells rather well.

And that  _was_  fun. No one had ever bothered teaching her any of it before, and they were all so sparkly and pretty. When Mira taught her how to see the ley lines, she felt her world had widened just the tiniest bit.   
  
The real issue lay in this  _weird_  illness. She was in pain nearly all the time, and tried very hard to play it off like nothing was wrong, especially when Leona caught her wincing. Then that wound on her stomach with the strange runes just would not heal right! And she swore she saw little tendrils of shadow peeking out from it.

Then… there was the strange mark on her hand from where she and Leona had made the promise.

Mira had frowned at it when she showed her during one of her check-ups, and quietly told her that she needed to show it to Zaerathian or Darnath, yet wouldn’t tell her why. Neri was even more confused when the woman kissed her forehead, telling her that she wouldn’t need to worry about such things.

“You and Leona just be children for now. Let us adults have the pain of worry.”

_It was just… like the Farstrider Sister oath, right? We’re sisters now, that’s all, right?_

Neri was beginning to not be sure at all, and she absent-mindedly brushed against the dolphin pendant hanging around her neck before dropping her arm to her side and turning to run and catch up with Mira.

Lessons that day were not difficult, and both teacher and apprentice were distracted. One ear was on the communicator, and she giggled at Leona encouraging Lyren to have fun, and nearly fell out of her chair as Mira quietly said something just as encouraging. The cantrips she was practicing were easy ones. She had mastered lighting a candle, now Mira was instructing her on phantom sounds and lights.

“If you’re ever in a tight spot, this will get you out more than anything else,” Mira smiled gently, “Most of magic is misdirection. Yes, there’s manipulation of the leylines, but… you don’t want your opponent to guess how. And with Leona running headfirst into things, you’ll need a way to get out that doesn’t involve melding into shadows. I don’t know how to teach that to be honest.”

“I’m real good at hidin’ in plain sigh’,” Neri grinned, “Comes from bein’ a wharf rat.”

Mira chuckled, then blinked at the knock on their door, rising to go answer it, just as Leona’s voice came screaming over the communicator.

_“Mama! The King! They’re going to kill him!”_

Both Mira and Neri paled, though kept their composure and what had been said in their ears secret.

“Just as a summons arrive. Neri, stay by my side.”

“She’s flyin’ thi’ way, won’t she…”

“I’ll worry about that,” Mira took a deep breath, “Smile dearest, but keep your eyes open, let’s see if we can’t prevent a little regicide.”


	4. Operative

**Operative**

“…this feels like we’re heading into a trap…”  
  
Leona glanced up at Mira as the three of them rode on Asca, following the King and Rezan to Atal'Dazar, “But wouldn’t they have noticed that? The Warlords and King know Zuldazar much more than we do.”  
  
“Except, for they’re drunk on getting the power of that Loa,” Mira noted quietly, “They don’t think anything can defeat him.”  
  
“You’ve already though’ of fifteen diff'ren’ ways?” Neri asked.  
  
“Seventeen. And that’s not the twenty I could think of if we factored in blood magic,” Mira frowned, “Girls. The worst may come. Don’t be surprised when it does.”  
  
Leona took a deep breath as she patted Asca, urging the stone panther to continue on, that she wouldn’t let him get hurt. A small reminder of how proud she was that he made it to the Great Seal (nearly) in time appealed to his pride. The once cowardly cat appeared to have finally gotten over his fears.  _Mostly_  at least. Udon rested on her shoulders, trying to not act as scared as he really was, and she reached to pat him as well.  
  
 _Mama’s right on that, now that I’m paying attention. They knew where we were ever since we left the Seal, either someone here is a spy or…  
_  
“Gor… look at t'spiders.”  
  
Leona glanced up at Neri, who was pointing to the jungle beyond them.  
  
“Yazma’s a priestess of…” Mira breathed deeply in as both she and her daughter noticed the trail of arachnids barely peeking out, “She was the one that had you deliver the messages…”  
  
“And there’s a lot of ‘em around t'Temple too,” Neri said quietly, “I had t'chase some out of our rooms t'other day.”  
  
“I’ll get these,” Leona said, leaning down on her saddle to touch the ground and cause an earthquake, gasping when Mira pulled her back up before she could.  
  
“Not yet,” her mother whispered, “If they are her spies, then we don’t want her knowing what you are. Not now at least. Let’s keep one ace in our pockets for now. Have you been able to keep them out of our rooms Neri?”  
  
“I thin’ so… I never saw any 'gain,” she blushed, “O…Or heard any of th'skitterin’.”  
  
“Don’t be embarrassed, you did well,” Mira smiled, “This is a practical lesson, Leona, you should give your Uncle a full report when you see him next. See if he had any thoughts of what else you could have done.”  
  
“Have you been in any coups before Mama?”  
  
“…more than a few. On both sides. They’ve been planning this for a long time, we wouldn’t have been able to prevent such a thing, except perhaps assassinating Zul before he ever stepped foot on this shore again,” she smirked, “He has forgotten a very important thing about soothsayers. Never discount the trivial. And he already has. That may prove to be a vital point we can exploit.”  
  
The three fell into silence as they neared the ruins, and dismounted at the entrance. Leona frowned as Asca flew off and away, but Mira patted her shoulder, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes.  
  
“Really wish you’d let me use my swords.”  
  
“Your training ones are suitable for now dearest.”  
  
Mira stepped forward, following the King and Rezan, and Leona and Neri were right behind her, nearly forgetting to breathe when Rezan stepped towards Zul and Yazma, both thinking that maybe it wasn’t a trap, that  _maybe_  they’ve won.  
  
Only Mira covered her mouth with her hand, hiding her frown and summoning a bit of power as she watched the trap spring up on its prey.  
  
“GET THE KING TO SAFETY!”   
  
Whoever had cried it out didn’t last long against the skeleton soldiers that were rising up, and she grabbed the girls, not waiting to be surrounded as she started to weave together the spell, “Go to the Princess, tell her everything’s that happened,” she said quickly, encasing them in a shield of fire,“Neri, Leona, protect each other. Get to the trusted adults as soon as you can.”  
  
“But Mama, what about…  _look out_!” Leona cried.  
  
Mira paused for a second to incinerate the skeleton that had been about to slash at her, “I’ll worry about me, this isn’t my first time in this situation. Neri, remember misdirection, Leona… no real swords. Not yet. Keep everything about your abilities secret.”  
  
Her eyes widened, “…the trivial…”  
  
“Exactly,” the weaving was nearly done, “Hold on to each other, the portal will separate you otherwise.”  
  
It opened behind them, still inside the shield and Leona wrapped her arms around Neri as Udon dug his claws into her shoulder, “But Mama…”  
  
“Your promise Leona! Once you report to the Princess, find the adults we trust!”  
  
Another skeleton was at her back, this time a mage with a raised knife and Leona’s eyes widened, “ _DELILAH_! PROTECT MAMA!”   
  
She had no idea what happened next, she, Udon, and Neri were hurtling through the nether and flames until the sky opened up and they were hurled against the ground of a forsaken swamp.  
  
Leona was the first one up, quickly checking for any broken bones or scratches, then helped Neri get to her feet as Udon floated back to his place on her shoulder, "Check your comms, see if you have a signal, I’m going to…“  
  
She turned and her voice fell away at the sight of the spider on the ground, "Look for help…” she finished weakly, taking a deep breath, “We gotta get back to Mama.”  
  
“…s'only static righ’ now,” Neri said, “But y'Mama said tha’ sometimes her portals do tha’, they’d work again soon.”  
  
“We got time then,” Leona swallowed, “Mama’s got a plan right? So we… we do our part.”  
  
Neri nodded, “She’d have landed us close to t'Prin…”  
  
“Hey, what are you two doing here?”  
  
Both turned to see one of the Speakers of the Horde that had accompanied the Princess to Nazmir.  
  
Leona took a deep breath, “…we’re… here to make a report to the Princess.”  
  
“An’ help best tha’ we can,” Neri added, taking Leona’s left hand with her right, “My master sent us from t'King’s side. Zuldazar’s… not in good shape.”  
  
“Wanted better help than a couple of kids,” the Speaker shrugged, “But we can use all the hands we can get, it’s a mess here. Come on, I’ll take you to camp.”  
  
“Y'Mama’s alrigh’, I promise 'Ona,” Neri said quietly, “We’ll get back t'her.”  
  
“…yeah. And she wanted to know what was going on here, so… we’ll have something to report,”Leona took a deep breath, “Guess it’s time I was an operative again.”  
  
Neri nodded, and the two took another deep breath, stepping further into the swamp that no one had ever returned from.  
  
Leona couldn’t stop worrying though.  _Did Mama even survive? What if that name doesn’t summon someone that cares about her?_


	5. Family

**Family**

**_"_ _DELILAH! PROTECT MAMA!”_ **

Her daughter’s words echoed in her ears as Leona and Neri vanished into the flame portal she had cast, and something within the Doll broke, punctured by the knife driving down into her back.  
  
Mira turned once the girls were safely away. Black fire glowing in her hands as she destroyed the skeletal troll that had given her the wound, then moved into the fight. Deep within a seal was cracking, summoned by the name, sanctified by the blood, unnoticed by Mira as she cast her spells until…  
  
Wide eyes stared at the body she once inhabited, and the black flames turned clear as the Doll turned towards her and winked,“The brightest of my little stars, don’t worry, I’ll keep the covenant with my adorable granddaughter. I’ll protect you. I can’t promise this creation of your former Master’s will survive much longer though.”  
  
Her eyes widened, and she looked down, noticing that she was herself, the succubus with red hair and bright eyes, the seventh-born daughter of thirteen siblings, and branded traitor to the Legion.  
  
“Mother,” she stood, “That was foolish of her, you can’t expect…”  
  
“I know,” the skeletal horde wouldn’t come near them, the nearly clear white-hot flames surrounding them kept this conversation uninterrupted. The Doll took off the ring from her finger, “Do not worry, she is safe. The name merely called me, set forth my conditions for freedom. Besides, Ysolde and I meant for your freedom as well, and I will not sacrifice what I have suffered for. No, my bright little star, you’re not allowed to die here, you have family to return to. Love that I once attempted to obtain, but…” she smiled sadly and placed it in Mira’s hand, closing her fingers over it, “Perhaps leaving you alone was not the best of decisions… my star, what have they done to you? These scars…”  
  
Mira swallowed and shook her head and Delilah sighed, “Just as well. You and I both know of the cruelty of our former masters. I had hoped to spare you… but then, you were able to leave on your own power and your own choice, and that is something I never did,” she looked around, “Now then, this is a fine kettle. My usual tricks won’t be enough, and this Doll of your former Master’s won’t last much longer. I was called, I was given an order. I must honor that order,” five flames appeared on her fingers, “Be careful where you land my little star, I’m not entirely used to being out just yet… oh and don’t feel guilty on that, I sealed myself in you, remember?”

Her daughter vanished and she tapped her chin, “…Oh I suppose she does not. Still…” she sighed as she turned around, “How can she work in such a thing? I swear it’s too stifling…”

* * *

  
Many miles away in the deserts north of the desecrated temple, Mira gasped as she fell down in the sands. 

_Calm. Do not panic. What do we have.  
_  
 _No communicators. No weapons. Just the ring Varotin gave me.  
_  
She stood, dusting herself off, “I’ve been in worst situations,” she whispered to herself, “I can’t remember when, but that doesn’t matter.” She lifted her hand and nodded at the small flames dancing on it, then shaking them off, took a deep breath. “Alright. One weapon. Still completely naked and lost.”  
  
Looking around, she realized she had landed near the remnants of a devasted caravan. “…that’s something, at least,” she said as she stepped forward, looking through the broken wagons for anything that she could use. Shifting her form into a near copy of the Doll, she wove together a pair of sandles from some tattered baskets and pieced together a dress from some scraps of cloth. A knife and a bit of rope finished the ensemble, as much as it could be called one, and she sat down in the sands.  
 _  
Shelter for tonight, clothing, a weapon of sorts in case my magic fails. Now all I need is to figure where I am.  
_  
Mira placed the ring on her finger as she yanked on her bindings, “Varotin, we blew it, I sent the kids to Nazmir, and Leona invoked my mother to protect me and she kicked me out to this desert. I’m fairly certain by now Cero’s doll is completely destroyed, and the only reason I’m not naked is because I managed to land in the debris of an old caravan and know how to sew…” She took a deep breath, “Sorry dearest. A bit of a rough day. Can you tell where I am and where the nearest outpost is?”  **  
**  
 _Did Mother make it out?  
_  
She hoped so. It was dangerous, but she wanted to trust in her. Even if it was just a little bit.   
  
Her strength was waning, she would have to wait until tomorrow to set out.  
    
Luckily the caravans looked to have already been picked through, and she set wards on one of the wagons turned on it’s side before slipping in and trying to curl into a ball. She wouldn’t risk a fire, not without knowing where she was and what enemies were nearby.   
  
 _In the morning I make my way to some form of civilization. I need to try and contact…_  
  
It was the last thought the little succubus had before the next morning.


	6. Lost and Found

**Lost and Found**

Serene blinked as the laboratory came into view, and stepped out of the remnants of arcane and flame. Seeing Levi with the desperate and questioning look on his face, she sighed and covered her own face with her palm.  
  
“Let me guess. Mira is missing and her new student told you how to find the secret drawer with the instruction manual?”  
  
He nodded and she took a harrowing breath, “Alright, sit down, don’t touch anything, don’t move. I’ll handle this.”

“Um…”

She adjusted her glasses, “You can take the credit and not look like an idiot for once. I don’t care,” moving through the laboratory as naturally as she never left it, she started to gather the bloodstones and place them in a circle, “They’re labeled, make sure you put them back… you know what, I’ll take care of that too.”  
  
“Adorable Sweetie Pie?”  
  
“Taladren.  _Source of All Trouble_  is Raine,  _Grounded_  is Leona. Mira does this so no one else can guess… for the most part at least, who they are. Some are misleading on purpose,” Serene pointed to a chair, “Now sit and don’t move. I’ll turn you inside out if you say another word before I finish.” **  
**  
His eyes widened and he sat down without argument and she growled as she started concentrating on what the blood was telling her.

* * *

 

An ocean and island away, in the Tortollan camp in the center of a jungle, Leona and Neri laid down with the communicator between the two of them, the older girl hugging the red-head with her good arm as Leona tried to keep from bursting into tears again.“…‘Ona, y'mama’s fine.  _We’re_  not.”  
  
“Darkmoon hasn’t started yet…”  
  
“…I know, bu’…” Neri sighed, “I can’t keep up w'you. If you were b'yerself, then sure. I’d tell you t'keep goin’. An’ t'void’s affectin’ you too.”  
  
Leona swallowed, “And it’s _really_  affecting you. You’ve barely been able to walk the entire time we’ve been here.”  
  
“…y'coulda leas’ carried me like a princess…”  
  
“We were being chased! And it’s the most efficient way when they can’t do piggy-back!”  
  
“A sack o'taters.  _You carried me like a sack o'taters_. It was embarrassin’.”  
  
“Only if anyone ever finds out.”  
  
Both quieted down when the Seeker that was watching them peeked into their tent, “…go to sleep girls. Rest is what you need. We finish the pilgrimage in the morning.”  
  
They nodded and she went back out.  
  
“What if t'turtle Loa’s bad off too?”  
  
“…then I guess the Princess will keep looking for help,” Leona said quietly, “Did the shamans help any with the pain?”  
  
Neri nodded, “A li'bit. T'pain’s mostly gone, an’ I don’t thin’ I’ll have a nightmare w'their incense burnin’.”  
  
“…do you think we really  _did_  do that?”  
  
“…it makes sense.”  
  
Both girls fell into silence then, with a few quiet remarks on the communicator to Lyren and Darnath.

* * *

“Hold out your arm.”  
  
Levi stared at the large needle in her hand, “…is that…”  
  
“You want I should just bite you on the neck?” Serene asked, “Arm.  _Now_.”  
  
He nodded and winced as she stabbed him and drew a vial of blood, “…HOW COME MIRA NEVER HURTS WHEN SHE DOES THAT?”  
  
“She actually cares what people think of her, now what did I say about talking,” Serene muttered words in a strange language under her breath as she poured the vial out, forming a small sphere with the blood, “Interesting…”  
  
Levi whined a little, and she frowned, reading the results of the new series of spells, then let the sphere down on the map she had laid out the bloodstones on. “Do we know locations of other people?” she asked as she let the sphere go, frowning as a smaller portion of it split, though the larger part of the sphere settled near one that seemed as if it was on fire.  
  
“I don’t know, but I think they do.”  
  
“Tell them you did an impressive bit of math and found that the Doll had shattered, but using your blood you were able to determine that Mira is near Phoenix A.”  
  
“…that’s the name of it? No weird nickname?”  
  
“…this is a sample she wished to remain anonymous, due to the wishes of the donor,” Serene said, “Even I don’t know who it is, but I can bet that person does. Now then. I bore of you. Clean up this mess yourself, but if you put anything back wrong, Mira will punish you for it.”  
  
Levi blinked at the sudden flurry of ice and snow, and then gasped at realizing she disappeared in it,“ _WAIT_  a second…”

* * *

“Neri? You asleep?”

“…not really. Can’t help b'think tha’ t'bad dreams will come anyways.”  
  
Leona took a deep breath, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Neri sat up and looked down at her, “For wha’?!”  
  
“You were telling me to be careful, and I insisted on that sister oath, and now you’re…”  
  
“Oh tha’,” she grinned, “Nah, I don’t min’. Jus’ means I gotta keep y'outta trouble. Tha’s wha’ you should be apologizin’ for by t'way. But hey, this don’t change nothin’. I was gonna get sick from t'void anyways, from wha’ Hedgie put in me. Now I’ve got a way t'fight it.”  
  
Leona smiled sadly, “Big Brother will come pick us up soon. We’ll get you to Lis, she can help. And Big Brother can make you an arm.”  
  
Neri nodded, “G'sleep 'Ona. I made tha’ oath, y'didn’t make me. An’ I needed it. We’re best friends, I can fight that bad gunk knowin’ tha’. 'Sides, tomorrow we meet a giant turtle. I’d never 'ave done tha’ if I stayed in t'Port.”  
  
“…yeah but…”  
  
“I kinda like adventurin’ w'you. But as soon as tha’ airship comes, we get on it.”  
  
“Promise.”  
  
“Now g'sleep. We’ll figure everythin’ else out later.”


	7. Song of Healing

**Song of Healing**

Both girls just looked on in horror at the scene before them as beside them the Seekers on the Pilgrimage started to cry.  
 **  
**“…how could they?” Neri whispered, “It’s…”  
  
“Power,” Leona said quietly, “He was a Loa, they…” her voice fell away as she hugged her friend, refusing to look away from the remains of Torga. This was another reason she could not let the whispers have their way, “They wanted his power, so they…”  
  
Neri looked up from Leona’s shoulder, turning towards the corpse, “Thi’ why t'blood magic was forbidden?”  
  
The red-head nodded, swallowing, “I’m not sure. But… This isn’t what Mama does! She only ever used it to track, to find connections to other people, she never wanted  _power_ , just… knowledge. And she  _saved_  people with it! She healed, she made all those medicines to prevent…”  
  
“…she said magic’s like tha’, ‘Ona.”   
  
“It’s a tool, I know, she said the same thing to me a few times,” Leona pulled Neri, “Come on, you’re getting pale again. You better have a seat.”  
  
“Same t'you.”  
  
They watched as the Speakers of the Horde that had come with the Princess went to salvage what they could, went to fight the blood trolls that desecrated one god to raise another. Feeling useless and helpless, both girls stayed with the Tortollans, Leona wanting to fight, but refusing to leave Neri alone again. Not here at least. She could feel the Whispers getting stronger and the Nightmares returning.  
  
If she went down there, she wouldn’t return.  
  
Not as  _herself_  anyways.  
  
Leona hated this feeling. Of being put to the side to be protected. It was why she had always run headfirst. She had to save everyone.  
    
She couldn’t even protect herself here.   
  
“Who will tell us stories?” one of the Seekers moaned.  
  
“…why can’t you?” Leona asked bitterly, as she hugged her knees, “He can’t die… not for real. No one does as long as you can remember, right?”  
  
“We know this better than anyone child,” the shaman that had been watching over the two of them said as she sat down next to them, “It is different knowing that we will never hear the words in his voice again.”  
  
Neri patted Leona’s back, “…We know,” she said quietly, “Um… do you sing for your dead?”  
  
The old woman brushed a hair behind Neri’s ear, “…do you have a song child?”  
  
She turned bright red, “…it’s one… M'Ma used t'sing it… is it…?”  
  
“I’d like to hear it.”  
  
“So would I,” Leona glanced up and wiped her face, “…Ms. Raine said that it helps them a lot, right? And Ms. Luna leads the Faeries with her songs. So maybe Torga needs it?”   
  
Neri swallowed, “My voice ain’t as pretty as hers was…”  
  
“Teach it to me and I’ll sing with you next time.”  
  
It wasn’t much. They weren’t fighting against the blood trolls or cultists that did it. They weren’t cleansing the scene of the desecration.  
  
But… the Tortollans that were with them… Leona thought that maybe they seemed a bit more at ease.  
  
And Neri had a  _real_  pretty voice. Somehow she sung without her accent.  
  
 _Maybe it’s the only way she remembers her Mama…_  
  
Leona swallowed, quietly promising herself that the next time she saw hers, she’d ask Mira to sing again. 


	8. Her Sworn Oaths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weeks have passed with Mira still missing and both girls grounded to the island. Now a new cry for help has come...

**Her Sworn Oaths**

Leona put down Opal, setting aside the network to it’s own devices, though keeping an ear open in case Deedee answered Moth or one of the Moles found Javinth. She had work to do and very little time to do it.   
  
First, armor. Dark armor, and she didn’t think her official family set was right for going back on jobs. Fine then, he needed Gemstone, then she’d borrow one of his extra sets and grab another so he’d have a change of clothes. Hopefully Zaer was at the Rookery still, and she took a deep breath before quietly opening the door and running into Talah’s bedroom.   
  
She nearly fell down when Opossum screamed from far away.  
  
 _No…_

_Stop. He knew this was coming. He knew he’d forget the plan… and there’s only one way he does that.  
_  
Taking deep breaths, she gathered control of her emotions as best as she could and got the armor before anyone saw her, slipping out the window to the worn path to her sea cave. She spoke quietly to Opossum, taking great care not to let anyone else on her network hear, trying her best to calm him down before she collapsed into loud sobs on the cave floor, spoke to Lyren and Rizzy over their stones, trying to keep the pain from her own voice.  
  
 _I hadn’t been connected the last two times… I had no idea…  
_  
“I can stop it. You don’t have to…”  
  
A weak but still spirited snarl answered that, along with the reason why she absolutely could  _not_  do that and why he  _did_ have to. The reason she gave the little agate all that power, he  _chose_  it.   
  
“Let me at least take some of the pain,” she whispered, “I can’t help him, but I can help you,” she mentally reached out and the gem’s paws grasped tightly on, concentrating on not shattering, he had a job, he had to keep doing it.  
    
Leona was kneeling and still crying when Neri found her, and she nearly jumped as her shoulder was touched.  
  
“…You’ll need a breast plate at least. And those boots are way too big for you.”  
  
She nodded and wiped her eyes as she sat up, “Not taking the swords, but one of Kit’s old polearms would look pretty operative-y, just in case,” she pulled over her messenger bag, “The leathers should do.”  
  
“They’re too big, d'I have time t'mend them a bit.”  
  
“You’ve only got the one arm, I’ve adjusted armor before,” she chewed the inside of her cheek, “I’ll need you to go with Dar to find Mama, I… I’ve got something I have to do.”  
  
“…I heard.”  
  
Leona stared at her, “…you…”  
  
“Apparently t'sister’s pact was more. I’ve been readin’ a lot in tha’ book I found. An’ it ain’t tha’ hard to listen in on Dolphin,” Neri took a deep breath, “About Talah…were you going t'tell me?”  
  
“…one day  _maybe_. I had really hoped that maybe he…”  
  
“An’ your promise…?”  
  
“…I’m not going to let him be alone anymore.”

Silence followed that, as both girls stayed in their thoughts, thinking of the next thing to say.  
  
“You’re a dragon, you don’t have t'be grown.”  
  
“I need better control of my disguise, but… yeah…”  
  
Neri took a deep breath, then looked at Leona, who was looking down. Tears were still in her eyes, though the loud sobs had stopped some time ago.  
  
“He comes back. One day you’ll make it last.”  
  
Leona glanced up at her and Neri smiled sadly, holding up her pinky, “I’ll help you. Magic’s a lot easier than I thought it’d be, and it just might be no one knows how t'explain it t'you the right way. Like dem dresses, y’Mama was desigin’ all wrong for you.”  
  
“You’d really do that?”  
  
“Tha’s  _my_  promise. If he ain’t growin’ up, then neither are you.”  
  
“…but won’t I be leaving  _you_  alone then?”  
  
“No. Someone’s still gotta take care of you, an’ right now don’t matter ‘nyways. 'Sides, I’ll be livin’ for a long time too. Elf,” she pulled at her ears, “Auntie’s always yellin’ at Merry’s Da 'bout how he don’t understan’ how long she’ll live. But they still make it work. An’ I’m y'Sworn 'Ona. So y’ _can’t_ leave me alone.  _Ever_.”  
  
Leona nodded, and took a deep breath as she hooked her pinky with Neri’s, “I don’t have much time. And disguise or not, it’s best that I just cut my hair.”  
  
“It was growin’ out so pretty too.”  
  
“When we can grow up. I’ll have it long, okay…” Leona paused, then blinked,  _“What do you mean my Sworn?”  
_  
“You taught me t'read, you’d think you’d read the big giant book in those runes y'Mama had in her office,” she said, “…Though, I don’t think it was there before we left f'Zandalar. That pact we made. It was t'Oath. Well,  _your_  Oath at least.”  
  
“…I didn’t want…”  
  
“ _I_  chose it 'Ona. I  _still_  choose it,” she smiled, “Now let’s get tha’ hair cut, I can do tha’ much at least, an’ then we’ll worry about your horns and get you armored up. Y'Mama had a surprise she was saving for Winter Veil that’d help too. She won’t mind if you get it early.”  
  
“Wait a minute,” Leona reached into her bag and took out a sharpie, “…I’ve got to keep track,” she marked her left upper arm below two faded tally marks.  
  
Neri nodded, then moved to stand behind her, “…I hated your spiky hair style. But. It does suit you,” she reached into the bag and took a pair of scissors, “I got s'gel too. 'Ona…”  
  
“…yeah Neri?”  
  
“…I love both of you. So you’re gonna make it out. You have to.”  
  
Leona took a deep breath, “…If you really are my sworn, then… don’t tell anyone where I’m going. Not unless Dolphin goes quiet. I’ll check in with you every hour or so.”  
  
“…how about I give you 'til we get y'Mama home safe.”  
  
“…fair enough. She’ll get the bloodstones back up and will know anyways.”  
  
The two were silent as Neri cut Leona’s hair, the former concentrating on what she was doing, the other scrunching her nose in thought as she tried to figure her next steps. Then they worked about getting Leona into the armor, Neri managing to cinch it up in some places, and they combined it with some of Leona’s scattered armor in her collection. The boots and gloves had to be her own, as did the small scale-mail tunic and cuiress. Then came weaponry, simple enough, considering she hated anything but a straight fight, her sling, a pouch of stones on her belt, her knife, and the polearm settled that. She slipped her messenger bag over her shoulder, carrying extra weapons, Talah some extra clothes and daggers, and the Dossier.  
  
Her tiny horns were still noticeable, but Neri fitted a black headband to her that made it look as if they were a part of that, “We’ll start workin’ on disguises when y'get back. I’d have to find out more thin’s.”  
  
Leona nodded, “Come on, we’ll go ask Big Brother to take you to that temple that Mr. Wren was talking about. It’s a good place to start looking for Mama anyways.”  
  
An hour later, after speaking to Darnath and telling him that she  _couldn’t_  tell him where she was going or what she was doing, she and Neri were on the beach, saying goodbye as they embraced and pressed their foreheads together.  
  
“You come back 'Ona. W'Talah and Mr. Wren and anyone else in trouble. But you come back,” Neri whispered, “…an’ this is just backwards, T’Sworn goes off on missions and t’dragon waits around.”  
  
"It wouldn’t be us if we did things normally. You’re my Sworn, you get to be protected. Besides, you have your own mission,” Leona grinned and they parted, “I’ve got to get a boat, but…”  
  
“No you don’t,” Neri reached into her bag and took out a bottle, “Like I said, y'Mama had y'Winter Veil present all hidden in her office.”  
  
She gently took the bottle with both hands and gasped at the tiny outrigger canoe inside with the bright sail designed to look like the sunrise, ”…they…“  
  
"She said y'Papa built it when he found out the Opossum had been caught in tha’ hurricane. You get that bottle to the sea water and it should jus’ break.”  
  
Leona was already kneeling at the shore where the waves were splashing, uncorking the bottle down and placing it there. A moment passed, and then she took a step back as the bottle shattered and the boat began to grow.  
  
“Quick, do you have any drinks on you?”  
  
Neri reached into her bag again, “Yeah, I’ve got a can of grape soda…”  
  
“Bring it to the bow and give her a name,” Leona grinned, “Otherwise it’s bad luck when I start sailing and I need all the luck I can get right now.”  
  
“O…oh!” Neri took a deep breath and marched over to the ship, “…This fine ship that is about to embark on a great journey, I name thee,” she shook the bottle and opened it, letting it spray on the side of the ship,  _“Promise,”_  she turned to Leona and took the sharpie and wrote it down quietly then took a deep breath and stood, “Captain. T'ship is all ready and blessed for the sea.”  
  
That caused another embrace, another forehead rub, and then the two parted, Neri running up back to the airships, and Leona shoving off the canoe and to the open sea.  
  
“You remember 'Ona!” Neri yelled from the island as she turned back, “You come back! Don’t you dare die on me!”  
  
Leona waved, “I promise! It’d be before you know it!”

 


	9. The Search for Mira: Apprentice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Leona goes to help Talah and Lyren, Neri goes on her own mission.

**The Search for Mira: Apprentice**

_“You track animals when hunting with your father by the marks they leave, correct?”_  
  
“Amoun’ other thin’s,” Neri said as she looked through Mira’s notebooks, “This looks a lot m'complicated than tha’.”  
  
“Arcane signature is unique to everyone that uses it,” Mira smiled, “Oh there are some similarities, between student and master for instance. When Malygos engaged his mage hunters, they tracked utilizing that idea… granted most mages aren’t quiet about using their magic, so they didn’t have to. Specialists have even more details, your average hedge wizard has a rather faint one.”  
  
“Oh… an’ you can see ‘em?”  
  
Mira sat down, “Yes. Or rather you can be trained to, with careful practice and study. Remember the exercise we did before. Now, I want you to work out what my signature looks like. Tricky I know, as I am in a construct. Your homework will be subtracting my former Master’s signature from my own.”  
  
“How will I…”  
  
“Have faith dearest. Take what you know of me and use it. Now. Let’s begin.”

Someone touched Neri’s shoulder, “We’ll be landing at that temple soon,” they whispered and she nodded, reaching to her left shoulder to ensure the pin was still fastened, then closing her fist and taking a deep breath.  
  
 _'Ona gave me a job. I’ve got to do it so she has one less things to worry about.  
_  
It wasn’t much, but it was a lead. Weeks old by this point, but it was  _something_.  
  
Neri took a deep breath,  _she could do this_. The concept was the same as when she was a Ranger. Find sign and follow the trail. She knew what Mira’s signature looked like, she had a vague idea from Levi’s description of what her succubus form was.   
  
She nearly grabbed a bow as she disembarked from the ship, but stopped herself, the hell would she do with one when she was short an arm? Instead, she grabbed a dagger and her bag, frowning as she noticed the electricity in the air.  
  
 _Something happened here, but what?  
_  
The what… actually didn’t take that long to figure out, just a few moments of questioning the trolls here and leaving an offering for Akunda, who told her  _every_  detail about the false prophet, the stealing of memories, and the rescue that was performed by a few of the Horde Speakers.  
  
And… he mentioned a battered succubus they only knew as Akunda the Mother who vanished shortly after her memories returned.  
  
Neri quietly nodded, then looked around the temple and felt for signatures of magic, scanning as Mira had taught her.  
  
She had been here.  
  
And there was a trail, one almost deliberately set.  
  
 _She knew we were going to get seperated. She knew that she may be without all…  
_  
Neri chewed her bottom lip as she fought back tears,  _“…Auntie…”  
_  
“You ask her.”  
  
“Uh-unh, if she’s Milady’s apprentice, then you can ask her.”  
  
“ _Somebody_  ask her, we need to find Milady!”  
  
The ex-Farstrider frowned and turned behind her to see three imps pushing at each other, not noticing that she had noticed them. At least not until she cleared her throat and put her hand on her hip, “Oy! Whatcha doin’ shovin’ like tha’!”  
  
“Beggin’ your pardon Mistress!” the biggest one said as all three bowed, “We’ve been out of work since the Legion was defeated, and we’ve been searching for Milady and her pet warlock ever since then.”  
  
Neri frowned, “…An’  _why_  should she care for a ragged ou’ group of imps lookin’ f'work?”  
  
“She defeated us back during Broken Shore! If we can’t work for… Him anymore, then we want to work for Her! She even had a warlock enthralled, so she must be powerful!”  
  
 _Or she tricked every last one of you…_  Neri didn’t hide her annoyed expression and started to turn, “Don’ thin’ Milady’s int'rested. 'Sides, righ’ now I’ve go’ t'meet up w'her,” she walked away, purposely going slow, “Goin’ be bad if somethin’ jumps me w’ m'arm gone. Oh how t'get to her safely…”  
  
“We’ll help!” they cried, running after her, “Then you can put in a word to Milady!”  
  
“Oh? I guess…” Neri tapped her chin and glanced skyward, “Good help is hard t'find… Especially here. Milady had an i'portan’ errand tooo. I should catch up w'her quickly, but… if you’re offerin’ t'help.”  
  
“We’re offering! We’re offering!”  
  
“Then I  _can’t_  refuse,” she grinned, holding out her hand, “Hey, I’m Neri, g'me y'names.”  
  
“Joltip.”  
  
“Lupgran.”  
  
“Miilyun.”

All three covered their mouths as they stared in her in complete wonder and Neri grabbed something out of the air instead of shaking their hands, “Milady’s a good teacher. Y'really should pay attention t'her lessons. Come on. I’ll give these straight to her, no worries.”  
  
“Mistress is impressive,” all three said in awe as they travelled on the road away from the Temple of Akunda and deeper into Vol'dun, following Mira’s strange magical signature.


	10. The Search for Mira: Sworn

**The Search for Mira: Sworn**

“You thin’ y'can trust ‘im?”  
  
 _“I don’t think we have a choice,”_  Leona’s voice sounded in her head,  _“And I do trust Talah, and he chose to trust him a little at least.”  
_  
Neri nodded quietly, keeping her eye on the imps as they scurried about the camp, “Still… Noticed y'went to t'code names.”  
  
 _“That’s more to keep me good than anything else. We’re going in soon. How’s the hunt?”  
_  
“The trail’s going to end soon. T'signature’s already faint,” Neri sighed, “I dunno how close we are.”  
  
 _“You can do this Neri. I’ve got faith in you, so does Mama,”_ Leona paused,  _“…I should have saved some power for Dolphin.”_  
  
“Nah, from what y'tell me, Opossum needed all of it,” she smiled sadly, “An’ 'sides, I’m in a desert, best place t'be a black dragon’s sworn from what I c'n tell.”  
  
 _“Be careful Neri.”  
_  
“Y'too 'Ona. I love you… hey if t'Smokes guy is cute…”  
  
 _“…I’m closing your line now.”_  
  
“Awww, don’t be like tha’!”

Silence answered her and Neri giggled for a second before looking up to the three imps, “Alright, ev'ryone rested up?” at the three glum nods she stood, “Good, w'can cover a bit more terr'tory 'fore we get forced t'stop again, c'mon.”  
  
It was something the sand whispered to her, though how she could hear it still confused her, travel mostly at night. She’d find a cave or something during the day and they’d wait out the heat and rest, then back to the trail.   
  
The sign was getting faint, almost as if the magic behind it was fading. Neri worried about what it could mean more than the incredibly violent wildlife that lived out here, letting the imps take care of anything that did attack them. From those, she made more supplies and rations.   
  
Water was the hardest thing to find here.  
  
But the first time she realized that they were dangerously low, something singed to her, and she was able to find them a spring. Granted they had to fight a giant cobra before they could fill up their skins.  
  
That was close to the edge of the desert, they had been going further in, and the singing points of water were growing less and less.  
  
And her stomach, the long wound infected with void, was getting worse and worse.  
  
Neri frowned, not liking what that meant.  
  
 _Did Auntie come here to investigate that?  
_  
The temple came almost completely suddenly out of the sands, but then so did the singing calling for water and shelter.  
  
A long moment passed as she contemplated both as the imps stared at her.  
  
“We’re goin’ t'way,” she finally sighed in relief, pointing down the ravine, “Water an’ t'trail are both there.”  
  
She didn’t tell them that it was silent at the temple, remembering the Nightmare that Leona had told her about some weeks before.  
  
 _“…everything’s getting quiet…” Leona had whispered, “They’re not strong enough and they keep disappearing, the Voices are getting them, and everyone’s hurting so bad.”  
_  
The trail  _really_  was leading them down to the Oasis. She hoped that it meant that Mira was waiting on her, and she really hoped that meant that they weren’t going to have to go near the temple at all, that she could signal the airship and they’d head home.  
  
The singing stones hoped so too.


	11. The Search for Mira: Family

**The Search for Mira: Family**

_Neri opened the door, blinking when she saw the woman on the other side with the desperate look,“A…auntie…?”  
  
Without a word she shoved inside and grabbed a bag and started to pack the girl’s things. Neri stared in wonder, there was a desperation that she had never known in the calm adult that had taken care of her since Arthas’ march on Silvermoon.  
  
Yet here was close to the same panic back then.  
  
“I’ve arranged with a friend of your mother’s still in the military, you’re to report to Farstrider’s Square first thing. If you leave right now you can make it.”  
  
“Auntie, what’s goin’ on?”  
  
“Even with Thunderhorn letting you live here, you’re not protected. He’s not home, she’ll just come and collect you and by the time he returns, it’d be too late. You must leave tonight and you must leave quietly. Davon’s waiting at the edge of town, he’ll smuggle you to the gates.”  
  
Neri understood in a moment. The thing that she and Auntie and Davon had all feared for nearly a year now.  
  
“T'Madame found out about…”  
  
“And you owe her a debt in her book,” her aunt took a deep breath, “One that I will not allow her to collect on. If you disappear from here, join the Farstriders, that’s respectable. I’ll take on what you owe her. She can never touch you then. You’ll never have to…”  
  
Tears came to her eyes, this just… it wasn’t fair!   
  
“I’m not even grown yet!” she yelled, “Wha’ kinda sicko wants a thirteen year old?! An’ I never fought ‘fore in m'life! I jus’ went on tha’ one delivery with 'Ona an’ a little huntin’ with Da! I need more time! I can’t…”  
  
Her aunt took a breath and knelt down to her, placing her hands on her shoulders.  
  
“You can,” she said quietly, “There is too much in here that is still light and good, and I will not have your future snuffed out just because you had to survive your childhood. You are more than just a child from the docks and a whore’s niece, you are the daughter of Ophelia Lightdancer, who saved so so many lives in the troll wars and with her brother fought back the Scourge long enough for their children to escape to safety. Neri… you must leave tonight, and don’t ever look back.”  
  
“…but wha’ 'bout y'debt… An’ Davon’s…”  
  
“…Davon has not been asked for, you have. I’ll smuggle him and Merry and Doolie out the same way if I have to. But you must go tonight.”  
  
“But Auntie…”_  
  
She gasped awake, and for a moment hugged her knees and took deep breaths at the memory.  _Not now, I can’t think of the Farstriders or Madame or anything like that now! Not when I still have to…_  
  
“Milady is there! Milady is there!” she glanced up at the imp running in the cave, “I felt her!”  
  
“Where?” Neri asked as she stood, and he pointed out the entrance to the top of the ravine. She squinted, making out a silhouette of someone sitting and chanting… but…  
  
 _The signature matches though. It’s her.  
_  
“Stay here. I need t'talk t'her alone,”she ordered the imps, and they nodded and sat down, reminding her for a second of the children in the Port that she used to take care of.  
  
That memory only lasted a second, and she took a deep breath and marched out. It was still a mile or so to the ravine, but the sun had just set and she had time, even with as slow a march as she had to make it. Nothing attacked her, yet there was an oppressive feeling in the air. She glanced over at the looming temple, able to see it even in the near darkness, and shivered.  
  
 _Concentrate! Follow 'Ona’s mama’s trail!  
_  
She paused, centered herself again and found the trail, this time not letting herself get distracted by anything as she followed it. _You’re close! She’s right there, you can hear her!_  
  
She could, the chanting was a soft song of sorts, one she had never heard before. Neri wondered if it was a lullaby that Mira sung to Leona.  
  
 _Didn’t 'Ona say that Ms. Raine and Kit had a song to fight back the nightmares? Could her Mama be using that to keep whatever’s in the temple there?  
_  
Near forgotten whispers of memories came back to her, she was so young back then, she couldn’t even remember what her own mother  _looked_  like. But… oh, they were so  _happy_. Her and Ma and even Da, long before he turned practically a Wretch, trying to survive on booze and blood thistle. Back before the Scourge’s march, they were a family. And Uncle and Auntie were right there and close, along with so many other people in their family. Grandmere and Pa-pa, Besair’s family, his elder sisters and his father, the youngest of the Lightdancer children, who turned to a life of a merchant, not wanting to compete with the twin heirs, Ophelia the Ranger and Laertes the paladin. They owned a great deal of land, there were so many that depended on them, and once upon a time, Neri was the Lightdancer princess and adored by all that lived on the estate in what became the Ghostlands.   
  
Her Ma sung lullabies too. She remembered those  _far_  more than the balls or the fancy food and parties. Far more than being pampered, she remembered helping bring in the harvest when some of the villagers had fallen ill, her uncle healing what he could while her mother hunted up stores for the winter. She and Davon were in charge of gathering the windfalls or dancing on the grapes to make wine.  
  
When the other girls in her Farstrider group spoke of their homes, she never said anything, just marveled at the pretty dresses and dances, they were all city nobles, and not  _one_  of them remembered the Scourge, the nightmares had all been charmed away by protective parents, or… in Hedgie’s case, there had been no attack at all on her home.  
  
There had been no home after the Lightdancer manor fell. Not really. Neri was never at ease in the Port, even after Baraon had taken her in, and the Farstriders had great promise, the sisterhood was something she had desperately wanted to belong to.  
  
…she never did.  
  
The singing stopped as Neri stepped behind the figure, and the woman turned, standing and lowering her hood, opening her mouth about to say something.  
  
Neri embraced her before she could,“Auntie Mira! We were s'worried 'bout you!” she parted and gasped, “Oh no, y’ve been beat up! Who…”  
  
Mira shook her head and smiled sadly, “No dearest, my wings were torn long ago, and these scars are old ones. Where’s Leona, you didn’t come alone?”  
  
“Mostly not 'lone,” Neri rubbed the back of her head, “I got s'imps listenin’ t'me now. I’ll give you their names…”  
  
“Not now,” Mira took a deep breath, “And as you avoided my question, I’m guessing Leona is doing something valiant and foolish?”  
  
“Gosh y'hair’s near t'same color as hers now, I didn’t know succubi could b'redheads…”  
  
 _“Anerithesa.”  
_  
“…I can’t tell. Not yet. She’s w'her Uncle Rizzy a'least.”  
  
Mira frowned, counted to ten in several languages, then sighed, “I assume you have a way of signaling the airship?” Neri nodded,“The damage here that’s done can’t be undone. Let’s just go home and figure out what to do next. You better call those imps,” she started to walk away, then glanced at Neri, frowning as she noticed the tears, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“…the way you said let’s just go  _home_ …” she whispered.  
  
Mira smiled, “Of course you belong there dearest. You  _always_ have.”


	12. The New Apprentice

**The New Apprentice**

Mira frowned at the laboratory, running her fingers across the table as she looked over the for once organized work stations. Her notes had been carefully and neatly put away, at first causing her to think that Serene had stopped by more than the once. Another examination showed a different story. It was not as neat, and nowhere near the advanced system that her former student had, but it showed promise.

_Neri will make a fine student despite no former inclinations towards magic study. I wonder if she had been caught by the right people a year ago if she’d have been sent to the Magistry instead of the Farstriders…_

More than likely not, those students started at a much younger age. When she would have been tested, she was in a place they never would have looked, and only now have started to realize what gems were hiding in the alleys.

Silvermoon was still rebuilding, still coming to grips with what had happened. Neri would have been wasted on them. They proved that much when they allowed a squadron of their future sacrificed to the Forsaken.

Mira sighed, not meaning for her mind to go to the anger there. She must keep control of her emotions, now more than ever. The Doll held so much power in, now that she was without it…

“Teacher?”

She looked up at Neri and smiled, “Come in dearest, I was just about to begin work. It’s been a long time and we are behind on several projects.”

The girl nodded and sat quietly, waiting to be told what the lesson for today was, and Mira brought out a notebook, “We’re putting the Phoenix project on hold for now. The Azerite research takes a bit of a precedence.”

“Is it ‘cause ‘Ona’s got it all in her blood?”

“Very much so,” she took a deep breath, “But we’ll not worry about it at this moment. Today, I want to discuss your aptitude for certain things.”

Neri blinked as Mira opened the notebook and started to write, “As you’re a dragonsworn, you should have some skill with manipulating earth. Granted, most of that Leona will teach you.”

“I can talk on t’stones…” she briefly touched the dolphin pendant of coral hanging for her neck, “But I can’t shape ‘em like ‘Ona does. An’ I don’t hear ‘em like she does yet.”

Mira nodded, “I have a feeling you will. You two were talking on the stones without realizing it. Since it’s not really something I can teach, we’ll set that aside for now. On arcane abilities… you do have some skill, though I noticed that you seem to work better with elements. Which could be a side effect of becoming a sworn… however, you took to that lighting candle exercise rather quickly. Fire could be a specialization you can take.”

“Oh tha’ sounds cool.”

“I tend to specialize in it myself, and there are plenty of supplement lessons you can take from others here,” Mira smiled, then took a deep breath, “…I want you to learn how to manipulate shadow as well.”

“T’void?”

Neri stared at the succubus, not sure if she had heard right, and Mira couldn’t blame her. Leona was terrified of the stuff, wasn’t she? It caused so many problems, and from what she was hearing over Dolphin, was still causing troubles. Not to mention the nightmares, the sickness she had, what happened in Nazmir  _and_ Vol’dun…

“I don’ wanna mess w’the Old Gods, not after wha’ Hedgie did.”

“Your arm was inked by Javinth if I remember correctly,” Mira said quietly, “I do understand. I don’t like what’s sleeping in that wound on your stomach. Nor anything dealing with what was sleeping in Vol’dun. But as Lisaerys told you, the void is a tool. And as she also told you, it’s volatile, unstable, and prone to chaos, but it  _is_  a tool, and one you can learn to accept and use. The bit that’s sleeping in you now, Hedgie may have intended for those runes to control you, but she ended up healing you instead. The arm that Leona cut off, that contained what was pulling you under their control.”

“So…she really screwed up?”

“From what I can tell based on the aftermath, she… may be in a worse off state than we can imagine right now. The Old Gods definitely have her,” Mira frowned, “And I have a feeling that you will meet her again.”

Neri took a deep breath, “I don’ wan’ t’hurt ‘Ona.”

The woman nodded quietly, then stood and picked out two small cups, placing them out as she boiled water, “Despite what Leona thinks, I can brew tea at the very least. It’s a medicine,” she paused, “Neri. I can give you safeguards. One is I will sever your name so that it cannot bind you. That I was going to do anyways, any contract you make will be of your own design and will. Another is… something I am not sure I should recommend.”

The girl waited patiently for Mira to speak again, watching her pour water and steep the leaves. She took a sip after her teacher did, blinking in surprise at the taste, “It’s  _good_.”

“I learned a little cooking while in Vol’dun as well, though I understand if you girls are reluctant to try it,” she smiled sadly, “I’m sorry. I should have thought of a way to get to you more quickly. I didn’t expect to become a Lotus Eater…”

“A wha’?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mira glanced at her, “The other is something I am not sure about, but I will tell you so that we can both give it careful examination before deciding. There are other things, we need to talk to those that specialize in shadows, Judessa and Javinth are both good choices, despite the fact that I trust either about as far as I can throw them. They do know the risks and protections to take.”  
  
“But talkin’ t’them ain’t wha’ you’re worried ‘bout?”

“No. What I am willing to suggest is a secondary binding for both of us.”

Neri blinked in confusion, not sure if she had heard Mira right.

“You already bound those imps, so it’s not that far fetched,” she took a sip of her tea, “You and I would form a contract, very clearly stating that it is for education and protection against the Void. You gain a bit of extra power, and I gain a bit of peace of mind that  _my girls are safer_. It is a last resort, if we can not think of any other safeguards. And as I said, I’d rather we exhaust all our resources first.”

“Is it really tha’ important I know how t’use t’stuff?”

“Neri, I think that if we wait much longer, it will be as important as breathing to you,” Mira said quietly, “It’s sleeping now… but when it wakes up, you must be ready.”

“…can I think ‘bout it some? Talk t’Ona an’ all tha’?”

“Of course,” she smiled sadly, “I’ll consult some healers I know. There’s always something hidden that you can’t see.”

Neri took a deep breath, “…a contract may not be bad…” she said slowly, “You’d jus’ really be m’Ma officially then.”

“Depends on how we word it, but…” Mira chuckled, “There are easier ways for me to adopt you. And that is something Baraon needs to agree to. But, as long as you and Leona wish to be sisters, then yes, I am your mother. There. Don’t let  _that_  be your decision maker.”

Neri nodded and took another sip of her tea.

“Now. Since we can’t do anything about either earth or shadows until we do field research, let’s get to the lessons on arcane manipulation,” Mira said as she stood, “Neri, pay attention now. As you’ve shown to be somewhat of a mage hunter, we’ll concentrate on that field of study…”


	13. Princesses

**Princesses**

“So what were you doing besides listening to Dolphin?” Leona was riding on Neri’s head in her whelpling form, half asleep as they walked around the island.

“I found y’Mama. An’ then I was doin’ lessons. Nothin’ grand adventurey like you did.”

“Thanks for finding her.”

“She’s important t’you,” she grinned, “An’ ‘sides, she’s kinda my Mama too now. We’re sisters, right?”

Leona hummed in agreement and Neri grinned as she walked towards the laboratory, “So wha’s a Sworn ‘posed t’do anyways? The book jus’ said a lot ‘bout protectin’ y’dragon and followin’ them, but nothin’ more than that.”

“I don’t want you to do  _anything_ , we’re just really close now, that’s all.”

“Nah, not good ‘nough. Since I do it ‘ready, how ‘bout I keep designin’ clothes f’you. An’ no good in a fight w’jus’ one arm, so I’ll jus’…”

“You’re not a servant Neri.”

“But it’s kinda like I am! Handmaiden to t’Princess!” she giggled at Leona’s indignant squawk, “C’mon, not like y’didn’t go on a grand ‘venture t’rescue y’prince.”

“I was rescuing Uncle Wren and Uncle Sunsoul too!”

“Mmm, maybe, bu’ you wen’ cause of Talah… OUCH!” Neri thunked Leona’s snout after the whelpling bit her ear, “That ain’t nice!”

“I’m  _not_  a princess!”

“You’re a little girl ain’cha? Then princess. Auntie said so,” she beamed.

“In that case, so are  _you_ ,” Leona pointed out, “And that means you’re  _not_  my handmaiden, we’re just a dragon princess and an elf princess. With some sort of nice treaty going on.”

Neri blinked, “Gor, I like tha’. But if I’m a princess, then where’s my kingdom?”

“Uh, we’ll split the cove. Since Talah and I have our hide-out in the cave, then you can have the area right outside it. Oh! Since the boat’s being built there, your kingdom’s in charge of it.”

She giggled, “Alright, so the Cove’s mine, the Caves are yours. We better get somethin’ for Haidee when she comes t’play.”

“There’s a little bit of forest that I like to practice in right there too. She can be in charge of the tree house.”

“Perfect!” Neri beamed, “A proper treaty between t’sea folk an’ t’tree folk,” she giggled, “So Talah’s the wanderin’ prince tha’ visits?”

“He can come from the Shadow Kingdom,” Leona scrunched up her snout in thought, “I’ll ask him.”

“No,  _don’!_  he’ll make _s’much_  fun of us!”

“He won’t,” she paused, “And if he does, I’ll bite him. It’s nice just playing pretend at something anyways,” she played with some of Neri’s hair, “…what sort of games did you and your cousins play anyways?”

“Loads o’thin’s,” Neri glanced up at her, “That’s right! We had t’explain hide an’seek and tag an’ all sorts of games t’you when you came t’Port. All y’knew was tha’ wargame y’play w’the stones sometimes.”

“Papa played some games with me! We went camping and fishing. And all the sword practice wasn’t just lessons, it was really special.”

Neri swallowed, “That’s the Da’s job anyways, makin’ sure their girls are princesses.”

“Neri…?”

“Y’Papa’s comin’ back. No worries.”

“Uncle Baraon’s coming back too,” Leona blinked at the slight hiccup and quickly wiped face, “Neri, are you alright?”

“Jus’ peachy ‘Ona. Bad memories, tha’s all. C’mon, let’s go talk to t’Queen and see what she wants us t’do for our chores today.”

“…Mama is a pretty Queen.”

“Ain’t she?” Neri sighed, “Even more so now tha’ she’s all herself, she was  _too_  pretty before. If tha’ makes sense.”

“It does! I don’t know why she wanted to hide her scars, they tell so many cool stories.”

“Yeah…but sometimes they’re painful, tha’ may be why,” Neri reached up and scratched behind Leona’s horns, “So when y’gonna propose t’the Shadow Prince?”

_“NERI!”_

“Look, we need a good treaty ‘tween my sea kingdom and the shadow kingdom, and since I swore sister-hood with t’earth princess, an’ she has t’best chance…”

Leona sighed, “What does the book say about bonds other than being sworn anyways?”

Neri glanced up at her, “Gor! You’re  _really_  considerin’ it?”

“No! I just… wanted to know!”

The small dragon was quiet for a long time after that as they walked, just playing with Neri’s hair, and the girl nodded and smiled to herself, “Suuuuuure you did,” she teased.

“I was  _just_  curious!”

“Of course, won’t do t’accuse a Princess of  _lyin’_ an’ all…”

_“NERI!”_


	14. Familial Memoriam

**Familial Memoriam**

The girls were away from the apartment, her brother was out for cooking lessons. The doors were locked. It was the only reason that Mira allowed herself to lean against the bed, hugging her knees as she whispered the Names.

“Lillith, Ysolde, Aphroditus, Ishtara, Helena, Naminea, Magdalene, Toreth, Freyasa, Elvirane…” she closed her eyes, whispering them again.

Why?

They were dead, dead and gone. They were the ten of the thirteen, the sisters that had been killed by one of their own.

But why was it so important to remember their names? Why did  _she_  have to do it?

Mira knew the answer. It was a ritual she had left off when she entered the doll, back then it was only eight names that she recited, Lillith and Naminea had still been alive. Something that she had been asked to do before her mother died.

Yet… her mother didn’t really die, did she? She sealed herself inside Mira.

And the why Delilah had done  _that_  was a mystery to her. Even with her memories…  _all of them_ … returning in horrible detail with the pain of her long forgotten scars, she could not say.

_My brightest star, you must protect the names!_

“Why?”

Delilah didn’t answer. She had long gone from her daughter, and there was no telling where the freed succubus was. There was no reason for her to come here, Mira and Leviathan were happy and safe.

_Was your revenge worth it Mother? Worth your daughters?_

_How **dare**  you._

She took a deep breath, saying the names yet again before tentatively testing her bond with Varotin. He was there. She could feel him…

But there was no answer.

_“Varotin, I need you,”_  she whispered,  _“Please._ _I need advice, I don’t know how you mortals do things like this!”_

Still, there was no answer, and she took a deep breath, reciting the Names again, letting the words and power that she didn’t understand flow.

_My sisters are gone. What is left in these names?_

She closed her eyes, already knowing the answer. They would be forgotten otherwise, the way that Delilah had set up this seal had promised that. The one that tried to absorb their power would only get the small boost a succubus normally got from inflicting pain and suffering, a slighter boost from the euphoria of fel and shadow.

But it would fade. Delilah had long ago bound all of her children’s names. Unless you knew what they were, you could not gain the power. She chose one of the siblings to carry them, to protect them.

That was the fate of the Seventh Born. To  _remember_  it all  _except_  for her own name.

Yet, Mira only wanted to  _forget_  everything about the Legion. It was why she jumped on the chance when Cero offered the Doll.

Beatricia and Leviathan had already forgotten the others. She was certain that Beatricia didn’t even notice when Lillith’s momentarily gained power had faded… the Masters of Light’s muses were feeding the Second-Eldest now.

It was  _so easy_  to fall into that trap at Akunda’s temple. To spend time there in ignorant bliss, not even remembering her own self, her own bond, her…

Mira frowned, clenching her fists as she took another deep breath and recited the names again.

_This power Mother meant for me to give back to her, I’ll give to someone else._

“No!” she snapped at that inner voice, “Only as a last resort! Only if we cannot understand the azerite and the planet is truly doomed. It’s too much to give to the girls. Neri isn’t strong enough and both will be in more danger. I must keep it. Until I know what to do with their names, I have to keep this burden.”

She was always too late, wasn’t she?

If she hadn’t been in Vol’dun, if she hadn’t been separated from the girls…

_Not even a full century ago, I would have sacrificed both of them for just a little attention from my former masters. How many have I killed for the Legion?_

_When did I decide to stop? Why can’t I remember that? Why do I only remember what came before or after?_

_I want to be worthy of Leona and Neri. Of the trust they gave me. Of being called something higher than Teacher._

It was easy to remember why she chose the Doll. Why she fell into the trap at Akunda’s Temple.

To forget was too large a temptation, too great of a sin.

And one she refused to give into again.

“Lillith, Ysolde, Aphroditus, Ishtara, Helena, Naminea, Magdalene, Toreth, Freyasa, Elvirane…”  
  
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and added one more name to the list.

“Kerri.”

Mira must not forget any of what made her who she was again.

No matter how painful her scars were.


	15. Trick or Treat

**Trick or Treat**

“I’m glad you were able to go,” Leona said as she and Neri sat cross-legged on her bed room floor and divided all the candy from trick-or-treating.

“Next year you’ll come too,” her friend grinned, “I’ll make t’bes’ costumes f’us. We’ll win every contest.”

The red-head shrugged, putting another penny pouch into a pile and sliding another unsorted group of treats towards her, “I’d have gone with you last year if I knew that you’ve never been on the Adventure’s Route. Kit and I did it loads of times, it’s a lot of fun.”

“Still in t’Striders then, ‘sides, we had fun with t’gem mining thin’,” she popped one of the candies in her mouth, “We gotta put somethin’ together for t’Rookery’s big nigh’, right?”

Leona nodded, “I got to figure out what I’m getting for Mama for her birthday too. And how I’m going to get it grounded. I guess I can make something, she likes when I do that. But…”

Neri nodded and the two girls worked silently then, at least until the candy was all sorted into piles and Leona was busy putting animal shaped gems into each of the penny pouches for prizes as the taller girl worked on sorting the wands and masks.

“So Talah don’t get a birthday? You  _were_  plannin’ somethin’ nice.”

“I’ll save it for next year,” she took a deep breath, “It’s more an anniversary than a birthday, so if it resets, then it resets. I wanted to go back to Pandaria with him. There’s this place that serves so  _much_  food…”

“The hot springs? You’re goin’ there f’ _food_?”

She turned bright red and puffed out her cheeks, “Yes! It’s not… A place can be special ‘cause of food!”

Neri leaned forward, “Wha’ happened at t’springs when you were there las’?” she paused, “It was righ’ after y’met me… an’ you…” she gasped, “Pandaria’s where you met ‘im!”

“It’s just… I was training with Uncle there. That’s all.”

“Sure. Riggin’ trainin’ in the middle of a field. Must be lots o’sails there.”

“I can’t tell you Neri! You know that!”

“Not like I can’t figure s’of it out! I mean, I already know he loses his memory cause he gets hurt bad ‘nough t’kill him,” Neri frowned at Leona’s paled face and clenched fists and took a deep breath, dropping that part of the conversation at least, “Yeah, no way y’Mama’s gonna let y’go on a weekend trip to t’springs with a boy ‘nyways,” she giggled, “Not f’years at least. If then,” she frowned, thinking of a way to switch the subject, “Hey, y’didn’t thin’ y’Mama tried to replace you w’me, didja?”

“No. And who told you  _that_?” she crossed her arms, “We’re sisters, right! We made that oath and everything, and you can share a mother, loads of people share moms! You shared Davon’s mom for years! So how can you even think something like that? Just because she gave you lessons? Come  _on_  Neri!”

“I really can’t imagine you learning magic,” she conceded, “…you barely got your firebreath under control, and the disguise must be jus’ natural dragon stuff.”

“And Mama’s horrible with a sword,” Leona grinned, “And she’s so used to taking orders that when she tries to teach military strategies, she’s always second-guessing herself, so it’s easy to beat her in war-games. And she absolutely cannot cook. I’m skeptical of the medicinal dishes she learned in Vol’dun. And she has waaaaay too many papers on…” she turned bright red, “… _y’know_ …”

Neri burst into laughter, “An’ t’think, you were in tears nearly every night when she was missin’.”

“…well… she really does read the  _best_  bedtime stories,” Leona’s blush turned softer, “And she’s weird, but a really  _good_  weird. And she really can keep some of the nightmares away because she scares the monsters so bad…” she smiled, “And, when I asked her things, she takes me seriously. Like the blood magic… when the lab got too weird and scary, I asked if maybe she could use it to heal people instead of hurting them. And she didn’t laugh at me or anything, she actually did it. She’s not distant like Ms. Raine is, so I think she’s a better healer.”

“And she loses her temper t’same as you do, but… I’ve never been afraid around her.”

Leona glanced up at Neri’s words, and chewed her bottom lip at her friend’s pale face, “Nah. Not even with those black flames showing up. I just know it’s aimed at whoever’s trying to hurt us. And her hair’s red now, so we look kinda alike. Her horns…well, they’re not gold, but she has horns.”

_“I know what you c’get her for h’birthday!”_

Leona blinked at Neri’s sudden grin and had a slight feeling of dread, “What?”

Her sworn leaned over and whispered into her ear and Leona’s eyes widened as a grin matching Neri’s formed on her face, “…That’s perfect!”


	16. A Strange Benefactor

**A Strange Benefactor**

Mira frowned as she looked over her notes, then shook her head and closed the journal. Between remembering the names, the hunger gnawing at her insides, and the constant worry over her parenting abilities, she was very near the end of her rope. Concentration even on something as important as the azerite research was nearly a pipe dream to her.  
  
She managed to mark the levels of the latest blood tests before her vision started to fade at least.

_The bond is still there. I…just can’t draw on it right now. Something is causing interference…  
_  
Relying on the serum she had synthesized wasn’t ideal… yet in theory it  _should_ have worked. Somewhere a miscalculation had been made, and she was far too weak and tired to go through her math and see where the mistake had been.  
Reaching for another vial, she faltered and fell down, knocking nearly the entire row of beakers to the floor along with her.  
  
Her eyes closed as a strange red fire reflected in the shattered glass.  
  


* * *

“Will you hurry up?”  
  
“This isn’t as easy as it looks,” Leona muttered around the flashlight in her mouth, her nose scrunching in thought as she worked on picking the door lock, “Are you sure? I mean, I know it’s been a couple of nights but…”  
  
“Y’ _know_  she hasn’t been lookin’ good, ‘Ona,” Neri hissed, “And she never locks t'lab! How come you  _ain’t_  panickin’?”  
  
“It’s Mama. She never goes missing from her lab. It’s when she goes away from home that she gets in trouble.”  
  
Neri huffed, but didn’t have an argument for that and just leaned against the wall and waited.  
  
“You’ve got t'be t'slowes…”  
  
“Mama put some safeguards in the lock. I’ve got to neutralize those and I’m not exactly good with magic,” Leona smirked as the door opened, “…I am good with Mama though. You were saying?”  
  
Neri stuck out her tongue, then frowned as she peered into the dark room, “Ms. Ashson’?” she called, “She never turns out the lights.”  
  
“…Mama?” the red-head stepped inside, her frown mirroring that of her friend’s, “…okay  _now_  I’m going to start to panic. Mama!” she went to turn on the lights, blinding both girls for a moment.   
  
Mira was standing there, seemingly dazed, her fingers on her lips as she turned to the girls, “…Did you see her…?”  
  
Both shook their head, “See who Mama?”  
  
She frowned, collecting papers from her desk, “…I suppose it was nothing.”

“Ms. Ashson’, are you alrigh’?” Neri asked, “I… we know y'haven’t been eatin’ much.”

“It’s really hard to reach Papa right now,” Leona added quietly, “And without the Doll…?”  
  
“Thank you dearest, but it’s not an issue now,” Mira paused, her nose briefly scrunching before she shook her head, “I don’t believe it will be. Someone saved me from the hunger, it should last until I can get to your father properly.”  
  
“Who?”   
  
Both of the girls asked the question at the same time and she glanced over at them and smiled, “She came from the bond with Papa, but I don’t know anything other than that. Perhaps we’ll meet with her again.”  
  
Leona just stared in confusion, “But Mama, there wasn’t anyone here…”

“Maybe it’s a ghost,” Neri said with wide eyes, “It’s Hallow’s End, and Ms. Luna was here a bit ago.”  
  
“Why would a ghost be in the bond between Papa and Mama?”   
  
Mira frowned, “Why indeed…” she muttered, then clapped her hands, “Alright girls, thank you for checking on me, but I think we all need some fresh air away from the laboratory. Neri, why don’t you run to the cafeteria and pick us up some lunch. Leona, where would the best place for a picnic be?”  
  
They gave her another worried look, then both smiled, “Not taking you to the Cove Mama, that’s one of the kingdoms, but there’s a really great place in the commons. Neri, meet us by the willow!”


	17. Birthday Wishes

**Birthday Wishes**

“Happy Birthday!”  
  
It was a small gathering, just her, the girls, and Levi. They sat in the dining area of the apartment with a cake that Leona and Neri had insisted on making on their own and the savory lamb tarts and sauteed zucchini that Levi had prepared. There were signs of other wishes; Raine had sent her a few loaves of bread and a ramekin of honey, Serene had sent a pile of several blank notebooks and five new crossword puzzle books. There was even a package from the Young Mistress, though it gave no new clues to Kit’s current whereabouts, simply a rolled treasure map and a bag of odd treasures, mostly shells, though there were teeth she assumed were from sharks, and a little bone figurine of a fertility goddess worshipped long ago. 

There were two odd gifts. One she knew was from Delilah, a silver circlet that dripped with small rubies and garnets. For now she simply placed that on one of the mannequins in her sewing room. Neri had asked if she could design something to match it, and she saw no harm, though she secretly promised herself not to let anyone actually place that on their heads.  
  
The other had an unknown sender, a worn diary in a language she vaguely recognized. That she placed in her desk drawer. It was a puzzle to work out over the next year at least, and no sense in worrying anyone else. There were after all, no signs of enchantment to it, even if there were traces of strong emotions.  
    
“Mama, Mama, make a wish,” Leona said happily as she pushed forward the cake with the lit candles.  
  
Neither she nor Leona were able to hide the fact that they glanced towards the door for a second after she blew out the candles, hoping that Varotin would have finally come home…  
  
But Azeroth was still healing from it’s wound. The bond was still there, she could feel the slightest bit of him from it.  
  
 _He’ll be home soon.  
_  
She gave her attention back to the three with her, and blinked when her daughter gave her a small misshapen present.  
  
“It’s harder for me to shape it, but… Neri had a really good idea, and…” she rubbed the back of her head, “I  _like_  us looking alike.”  
  
Mira blinked as she opened it, then chuckled at the wrapped wire meant to go over her curled demon horns, gold with pale blue gems that matched Leona’s budding gold horns, “You even made it look like Azerite.”  
  
“…Well, I figured since Mr. Nightblossom got onto Alinith all the time about it, I’d just use some that wanted a home. And might as well not make you look like a main dish.”  
  
She reached up to set them, “Thank you dearest, I love it.”  
  
“I got somethin’ too!” Neri raised her hand, “Ain’t much, but ‘Ona helped me, I jus’ had t'design it for her,” she pulled out another misshapen gift and Mira smiled as she opened it, then stared at the knitted dark scarf that seemed to catch the light in little glimmers.  
  
“Stretch it out Mama!” Leona said happily, “Neri designed it so it’d look like wings! And I added the gems to it, so it looks like stars! Granny helped too, cause she helped knitting finally make sense.”  
  
“An’ with 'Ona grounded, ain’t like she had much to do,” Neri teased, causing the red head to stick her tongue out at her.  
  
“You kids are making me look bad,” Levi groaned, “All I got Sis was a book on ancient Kaldorei medicine!” he handed her a slightly better wrapped box, “I figured you’d like it what with the clinic and all.”  
  
“I do,” she assured him as she held up the scarf, “Girls this is beautiful. Because of my wings being torn?” she asked with a gentle smile.  
  
“…well, yeah… partly a'least…”  
  
“…They’re  _dragon_  wings Mama. Not demon wings. I… just don’t have that many scales so it’s made of yarn.”  
  
“And I’ll have to thoroughly examine the book Levi. There might be some remedies they used that would work just as well if not better than modern practices. At the very least, the next time Raine is actually here, I can get her to make me some more tonics.”  
  
He beamed, his tail swishing behind him, and she chuckled, wrapping the scarf around her shoulders and returning to the cake.  
  
 _“Happy Birthday my brightest Star.”_ ** _  
_**  
She paused, for a moment seeing the old keep of her mother’s, the last birthday she had celebrated there, before Levi’s birth and her training began, the last time she remembered her family being happy. Or at least, the last time they had the promise of working out their differences and coming together.  
  
She had once been a Princess. Seventh Born and Blessed among her siblings.  
  
How  _quickly_  that burned to ashes.  
  
How little she regretted that it did, only a vague regret that there was no unifying the Thirteen.  
  
Her family now was so much better than what she and Levi had once possessed.  
  
True, Leona was more than likely going to get into a great deal more trouble. And Levi only had half of his soul and a rather large hole in his head. Neri would have to go back to her own father once he returned. Varotin was stuck with his brother in the center of the world…  
  
Mira didn’t need the Doll any longer. She no longer wished to forget, she no longer wanted to erase the scars that made her who she was.   
  
It didn’t matter. What mattered was sitting at this table and arguing with her friend about planned costumes for Darkmoon… not that Leona could go this month.  
  
 _Now. Let’s make sure her fourteenth birthday in January is just as good for her as today was for me._


	18. Cousins

**Cousins**

Neri probably shouldn’t have been surprised that once Davon stepped out of the portal with Merry that he’d probably be a bit upset at her missing arm.  
  
She absolutely did not expect him to punch Leona right after, not when he barely ever lifted a finger to defend himself.

“Gor! What are y'doin’?” she yelped, stepping forward before anything else was thrown, half expecting the smaller girl to lose her temper.

  
Davon didn’t answer her, instead glared down at Leona who was surprisingly calm, “T'hell were y'doin’? Y'were supposed to be savin’ her! How’d she even  _lose_  her arm?!?”  
  
“I cut it off.”  
  
Merry covered her mouth and glanced up at Neri as Davon threw a second punch, this one weaker than the first, though it was clear that Leona was going to have a black eye at the very least.  
  
“Davie stop it! It saved m'life!”  
  
“She sent t'diamonds to Ma too!” Merry added, the little girl running to stand between her brother and the dragon, “An’ she ain’t punchin’ you! Good thin’ too!”  
  
“…we don’t need you protectin’ us! No one asked you!”  
  
“Gor, f’ _fuck’s_  sake Davie!” Neri grabbed her cousin’s arm then, “Watch Merry f'us ‘Ona! I’ve gotta talk some sense into t'idjit!”  
  
She stomped off with him in tow, wincing as she heard Leona tell Merry that she didn’t fight back because she really did deserve it.  
  
Davon was smoldering still when they reached the cove and she sat on one of the flat rocks and glared at him, “Y'can’t say anything 'bout how I was rescued, y'not t'one that came after me.”  
  
“You shouldn’t have even been in…” he started, then crossed his arms and looked away, “T'hell happened An? You went there so…”  
  
“Yeah, tha’s another reason y'owe 'Ona a 'pology,” she said quietly, “Because if she didn’t come w'everyone she could grab, I’d be dead or worse righ’ now,” she ignored her stomach starting to itch, best to not tell him about the void part of it for a while yet, “Auntie sent me to t'Striders cause she wanted me safe an’ not havin’ t'be a whore. She didn’t thin’ 'bout anyone bein’ interested in them.”  
  
He sat down on another rock, staring into the ocean for a bit.  
  
“You ever goin’ t'tell me what happened An?”  
  
“…one day Davie. Promise.”  
  
Another moment passed with nothing said between them until he started to shake his hand, “GOR! Tha’ hurt so bad!”  
  
Neri snickered, “Well yeah. You  _suck_  at punchin’. An’ it’s a wonder y'didn’t break y'hand, you put y'thumb on t'inside,” she stood, “C'mon, let’s go light them candles for Ma an’ Uncle. An’ if it’s still hurtin’, I’ll ask Ms. Ashson’ t'put some ice on it or somethin’. Hey, where’s Doolie? She didn’t wanna come?”  
  
He shook his head, “Mama’s been getting her in proper school. Merry got kicked out f'fightin’ in hers, she bit a few kids, but Doolie’s doin’ good. Everyone thin’s she’s part siren though, cause she won’t talk.”  
  
“Still?” she sighed, “An’ Merry’s gotta _stop_  with the bitin’!”  
  
“She claims it’s oppressin’ her t'not let her inner wolf out.”  
  
“Gor… Hopefully y'Mama can get her into somethin’ that’d let her be herself.”  
  
“Some druids are lookin’ at her actually. Friends of her Da’s near as I can tell. The Branwen line were all apparently harvest witches or something. So maybe.”  
  
“How’s he an y'Ma doin’?”  
  
He shrugged, “Goin’ tell m'Da 'bout it when I light the candle. But they’re getting married during Winter’s Veil. Merry won’t be a bastard anymore. Doolie’s getting adopted too.”  
  
“Merriac Branwen and Doolow Branwen,” she grinned, “What 'bout you Davon? Gonna take his last name?”  
  
“No,” he blushed, “I… I’m not a knight like Da was, but… I like being Davon Lightdancer.”  
  
“You ever take any lessons, you probably could be,” both turned to see Leona and Merry catching up to them, “I bet Ms. Raine can get you into the Argents.”  
  
“Nah,” he grinned, “I’ll leave t'protectin’ t'you an’ An. An’ Merry,” he added quickly at the younger girl about to protest, “You girls are better at it anyways. I jus’ make a big mess o'things. Besides, all I wanna do is get marry Ed when I get older an’ live happily borin’ after in his seamster’s shop.”  
  
“How come y'got a boyfriend for I did?” Neri whined.  
  
“Maybe cause I’m nicer,” he teased, “Da got married 'fore your Ma did too.”  
  
“Fat lot o'good it did her,” she stuck out her tongue, “Come on, let’s go light them candles. I got a lot t'tell her 'bout this year.”

* * *

“Alrigh’, I think I have t’dress all planned out,” Neri said as she finished her drawing in her sketchbook, Merry being nice enough to hold it down for her, “I gotta get good fabric f’this one, no hand-me-downs this time for you or Doolie.”

“An’ there’s a place for my tail?”

“You’re gettin’ a  _special_  tail an’ ears jus’ for this,” Neri grinned at her younger cousin, “I’m gonna make sure they’re all sparkly and happy, you’ll see!”

She grinned and watched Neri work, “…Does it hurt?”

“Hrmm?”

“Y’arm. Er… well, you use to havin’ an arm, does it hurt any?”

“Nah, it’s my stomach that’s more of an issue, but don’t you tell Davie about  _that_. ‘Ona took a couple punches from him already, an’ that one wasn’t her.”

“Why’d she cut y’arm off anyways?”

“I wasn’t myself. I was shootin’ at her, even though I didn’t wanna. And the bad was  _all_ on my arm. She got me out of it b’cuttin’ it off.”

“Like when a tree gets rot in it?”

“You  _are_  payin’ attention to them druids! Good job Mer,” Neri made a few more marks on the dress, “Yeah, like that. There’s this bad stuff that talks t’you an’ tells you things. It can make real good promises of stuff y’always wanted or it can drag up your worst nightmares, and that what was in m’arm.”

Merry had wide eyes, “It’s like what’s in the Crimson Forest?”

“T’what now?”

“Near Anyport, there’s this spooky forest there. It’s all over Drustvar really, but there’s a lot o’bad things in the woods the other kids told us. It’s not like the woods near the Port that ‘Ona told us was the King’s Forest. Doolie an’ I got lost there once and we just danced and sang and then this nice lady took us back home and said we could come back later. But…” Merry frowned, “There’s  _bad_  things in Drustvar, it’s scarier than t’Ghostlands.”

“You an’ Doolie stay out of them woods then,” Neri said quietly, “There ain’t no Faerie Knight there t’keep you safe,” she wondered if she should get a message out to Ms. Luna, Leona had told her about the phoenix’s strange world, one that seemed rather real to anyone not an adult yet.

_She said she gave her a memory for coming to rescue me… I wonder which one it was…_

“I wish there  _was_ ,” Merry sighed, “I like t’forests more than t’sea. And Drustvar’s pretty. It’s like it’s always Hallow’s End there!”

“Well, Winter’s Veil is jus’ round t’corner an’ you’ll have them sweets t’look forward too. Not t’mention y’Ma and Da gettin’ married finally. What changed Auntie’s mind anyways?”

“Well. Her debts were paid and he came back for us. She  _had_  to then,” the tiny girl grinned, “Good thin’ too. I’m gonna be Officially a Branwen like Da is. He even took me and Doolie on his new ship!”

Neri smiled, then stood and stretched, “Alrigh’, I thin’ I’m done here. Wan’ me t’take you around the island some. Ms. Ashson’ gave me today off from lessons, I can show you t’Rookery and t’Princess Cove. An’ maybe Lyren will let me introduce you t’his girls…” her voice trailed off and she turned to look at her cousin as she placed her hand on her hip, “You been nice? Not bitin’ anyone?”

“…I might have gotten kicked out of school, but those girls were MEAN and deserved it.”

“Merriac Ophelia Branwen!”

“Anerithesa…” Merry scrunched her nose in thought, “ _That’s not fair!_  I don’t know your middle name!”

“Not gonna too neither. Why are y’bitin’!? Even if you’re not cursed, that’s no good!”

“CAUSE I’M A FERAL WOLF!” she snapped, “An’ I am a worgen like Da! See!” she pointed to her ears, “I just don’t really have a pack aside from Doolie! An’ she don’t like playin’ w’me no more now tha’ she’s in real school.”

“Y’gotta get some friends.”

“You didn’t even meet ‘Ona until last year! I can wait!”

Neri didn’t have an argument for that and sighed, “Alright. But n’more bitin’ people, I mean it. You can’t come visit me here if you do that.”

“Fiiiiine. But they don’t believe me when I tell them I’m Gilnean!”

“I know… but maybe y’should find out from your Da something ‘bout bein’ Gilnean other than being a worgen? They had a lot of stuff goin’ on behind tha’ wall. Heard there was a right cute prince and everythin’. An’ they got real good style.”

Merry slowly nodded, and Neri led her out of the apartment, waving to Davon as they passed the kitchen where Levi was helping him plan a cake. Once outside, she paused, looked around and knelt down to the young girl.

“Hey, can y’keep a secret?”

“You told me  _last_ year ‘Ona was a dragon.”

“Yeah, but did I tell you,” Neri held up her palm to show the dark flowering mark that was spreading over that hand, “That ‘Ona and I swore an oath together?”

Merry gasped, “I wanna! I liked her ‘fore you did!”

“So not true, and not til you’re older,” Neri winked, “An’ only if you stop bitin’ an’ be a good girl. ‘Ona takes her oaths seriously now. She don’t need no sworn tha’ gonna lose their temper.  _She_ does that nuff on her own, we’ve gotta be  _calm_ and use our brains.”

She nodded, “I promise! I promise I’ll be good and work hard and everythin’!”

“Good! Now let’s go see if anyone needs help in t’Rookery!”Neri took her hand and led her away, trying very very hard to not think of how badly Leona was more than likely going to kill her for telling Merry and promising that without talking to her.

_Oh. Well. She’d probably get her own dragon friend by then if Leona doesn’t want to. And if not, it’s gonna be years off. I’ll figure it out then._


	19. Hangover

**Hangover**

Mira rubbed her head as she entered her laboratory for work, heading first for the medicine cabinet and taking out the aspirin and crushing it into a glass of water. She… may have overdone things at the Club. Just a  _bit_.

Moderation was  _not_  something that succubi were used to, and yet it was something she had gotten into a habit of while in the Doll. She sighed, taking her notebook from her clutch and opened it up, she vaguely remembered doing  _some_  sort of science experiments the night before. Another deep sigh and a chuckle at herself when she found the notes, written in the hieroglyphics of Uldum  _and_ coded. It took her a moment to decipher her drunken self’s thought process.

“Looks that I decided to try out being male and took a sensation enhancing substance,” she muttered, “…Really big breakthroughs… Oh, there was talk of prolonging the effects of the transmorphic tincture, that at least could be useful… Why would stealing someone’s hat be for science?”

She may have to find her new friend sober. If she could remember her name. It was a pretty one, Ael…

“Next month no heavy drinking. Back to moderation I go,” she scolded herself,“What sort of example am I setting for the girls? They’d be going to their own nights out and making out with strange women is no way for them to act,” she’d have to apologize to Varotin again, she had only meant to  _examine_  flirting.

That was a rather nice time… She had been starving for that sort of attention it seemed.

“Alright you, back to work,” she scolded herself, “You’re allowed a bit of fun. Just remember your age and act responsibly. You’ve got two girls to watch out for, and your brother needs help…” she chugged the rest of the aspirin water, “And Varotin will be home soon… granted I might have to go to Azeroth’s core and drag him out…”

One of the imps carried in the mail for the day and she set aside the package for Leona, more than likely the trading cards she had ordered and opened the letter.

It was from the General, with a seahorse pendant glowing with enchantment.

Mira smiled, he hadn’t forgotten her, for some reason just that reassurance battled the rest of her hangover away.

“Let’s see if there was any changes in the azerite,” she said to herself, walking to the experiment part of the laboratory, “I’ll work on medicines after.”


	20. Pilgrim's Bounty

**Pilgrim's Bounty**

The days before the Pilgrim’s Bounty feast were a whirlwind of excitement for nearly everyone in the apartment except for Mira, who had been kicked out after she attempted to collect turkeys from the now-blighted Tirisfal Glades. It was probably one of the few times Levi would ever stand up to her, but he told her quite clearly that she could test for their half-life in her own laboratory, and only if she ensured that it was in a separate inclosed space far away from her pediatrician’s office.

Neri was not allowed to help with that, she started to follow after, as she was  _technically_  supposed to be Mira’s apprentice, but Leona and Levi both grabbed her back in. Leona then ran to get a few extra gas masks for her mother and the imps that simply would not be allowed out of that unfortunate contract.

Afterwards, the girls and Levi were having a fine time preparing for the feast. Neri, still missing an arm, was put in charge of ensuring that Udon wouldn’t snack too much while they were cooking, and she helped Leona make the noodle dish for Rizzy and helped Levi mash the potatoes and stir anything on the stove that needed it.

Leona was in charge of setting the table and opening the door for any visitors. Raine and Taladren were the first to arrive, and the priestess immediately went to start on the bread, and the girls were released from kitchen duty towards babysitting duty, which only compounded when Davon and Merry arrived.

That surprised Neri, “You ain’t spendin’ it with y’Mama?”

Davon shrugged, “She busy plannin’ t’wedding, an’ y’know we never celebrated it! An’ Doolie wanted to have Mama all t’herself.”

“Da’s on another sailin’ trip! Jus’ to get Mama’s surprise!” Merry added happily, and Neri and Leona shared a worried glance with each other that Davon shushed both of them about, “An’ ‘sides, ‘Ona’s Ma invited us when we visited las’ time.”

“Just as well, Uncle Levi’s about to start on the pies, so I need to get Udon away from the kitchen,” Leona said, “We’ll go down to the cove, we can go fishing.”  
  
“Booooring,” Taladren whined.  
  
“Okay then, I can teach you some sword moves. And we can do some races…”  
  
“An’ hide n’seek!” Merry grinned, “An’ I got a list of other games I never get t’play cause no one my age is ever ‘round!”  
  
“…No wolf hunt,” Neri and Davon said in unison, then all five ran outside at the sudden crash into the front door to find Luna laying flat on her back in the garden.

“…I’m here!” the phoenix said happily as she sat up cross-legged, “Oh! Am I late?”  
  
“Not yet Ms. Luna,” Leona said smiling, “We’re going over to the cove, do you want to come with us? We’ll ask Uncle Wren if Star and Arenli can come play.”  
  
“…and maybe stop by an’ see if Talah wants t’come too?” Neri teased as her friend turned bright red.  
  
“That sounds lovely,” Luna said as she stood up and clapped, “I can say hello to Sunsoul too! When’s dinner?”  
  
“When I call all of you,” Levi said as he peeked out, “…how many are coming?”

“Kit and Luce should be here, but we haven’t heard from them,” Leona said,“And I invited Uncle Rizzy and Uncle Baraon.”

“Hopin’ ‘Ona’s da makes it too,” Neri added, “Bu’ Ms. Ashson’ says Serene ain’t comin’.”  
  
“Yeah, Bat’s stuck in the library…. So that should be it.”

Levi nodded, “Let me know if anyone else shows up so I know I’ve got enough made up,” the girls promised and he watched them run off before sighing and wiping his hands on his apron. He was about to turn to go into the house when he was suddenly grabbed in a large hug, “GAH!”

“Oh! My darling star! You’ve gotten so big!”

He jumped back and stared at the succubus standing there and smiling at him, one that looked nearly exactly like Mira, only with darker skin and not as many scars.

“ _Who are you?_ ” he demanded.

“It’s our mother,” explained another succubus, a blonde thin one that caused him to scream at the sight of, “…Look, I’m not here to eat you idiot.”

“Beatricia? MOTHER?!?” he turned to the first succubus, “But… you died when I was born?!?”

“Sealed away darling star, don’t be so dramatic. Now then,” she clapped her hands, “I heard that this was a great feast for families…”  
  
 _“HOW DID YOU GET PAST ALL THE DEFENSES?”_  
  
“Don’t worry about trifle things darling.”

Raine came out then, and Levi hid behind the priestess, causing Beatricia to roll her eyes, “I’m in handcuffs,” she pointed out, holding up her bound hands, “And that one is not enough to protect…” she stared at her for a moment, then paled, “Fair enough.”  
  
“Does Mira know you’ve come?” Raine asked gently.

“Not yet, and my contract is not with her,” she held up her hand to show an invisible binding, “My darling granddaughter asked me to save Seven, and well, I suppose that we should release me from that at some point.”

“Alright,” Levi took a deep breath and stepped out from behind Raine, “T…Two more plates for dinner then. That’s not so bad. You can’t go anywhere else but here, I’ll send one of Sis’s imps to get her, and  _you_!” he pointed at Beatricia, “…The first sign of trouble and…” he held up the priestess, “She’ll get you! And if you’re coming for Winter’s Veil, you’ve got to  _ASK FIRST!_ AndMother! No more going for centuries without calling!”

“Such an adorable star,” Delilah smiled, then pulled on a wire, lurching Beatricia forward, “Come on, your brother made such a great feast, it’d be a shame to not help.”

“If Leona made a contract, she did not realize,” Raine sighed, “No need to track down on of the imps, I’ll go and speak with Mira. You can take the bread out when it’s done.”

“…yes,” Levi squealed, then blushed at Beatricia’s snickering and coughed, “Yes. I’ll handle things here.”

Raine smiled and kissed his forehead, “You will,” she promised him, “We’ll be back quickly.”

Levi nodded, tried to puff out his chest, then paled as Beatricia kicked him on her way into the apartment, “…I can do this… I wanted to show off my cooking… why the hell does no one tell me  _anything_?!?”

* * *

Leona just stared at what awaited them when they reached home. Uncle Levi was trying very hard to not hide as he finished up the dinner, Raine was nowhere in sight, and  _neither_  of the two succubi at the table… one in hand-bindings and scowling… were her mother. Or anyone  _else_  she knew on the island.

Mira and Raine entered right behind them, her mother sighing wearily as she clapped her hands and smiled to the children, “Right. The Feast tonight is going to be done a little differently, and I’ll make up for it. Leona, we’re going to have this location be the children’s table, but first I need you to vocally give up your contract of Delilah. To Raine.”

“Me?” the priestess squeaked as the red-head at the table looked her over with an approving smirk,  _“Mira…”_  
  
“…Trust me, she won’t act on it, and you might run into the General before I do,” she whispered, “Luna….  _no_ , Neri, you’re in charge here until we get back.”

Leona raised her hand, “Er. Mama?”

“You’re grounded, so you can’t be left in charge… Oh!” Mira took a deep breath, “I’m banishing us and Raine to handle this. We’ll be back sans your grandmother and Aunt Beatricia.”

She went back to staring and pointed at the blonde in handcuffs, “She’s the one that ate…!”

“Absorbing is  _not_  eating…” Beatricia started.

Mira started to argue, stopped herself and counted to ten, “Yes. The reason there are only three siblings instead of thirteen. Now, repeat after me, ‘I give contract of the Succubus Delilah to Araindwen Dawnsinger, known in this world as Araidne Starblood.’ That’ll be one less thing for you to worry about,” she glanced back at Delilah, “And mother, that  _was_  low.”

“I just wanted to stay in touch with my adorable granddaughter!”

_“I have a contract?”_

“Leona.”

“Oh. Uh, I give contract of the succubus Delilah to Araindwen Dawnsinger, known in this world as Araidne Starblood,” she blinked at feeling a shift in something, “…Mama?”

“Perfectly done dearest. Now, tell anyone else that comes that I’m sorry I missed them. But I won’t have a repeat of this. Mother needs to understand boundaries,” she stood, “Raine, I’m sorry, but I will need your help.”

“…I’m sort of used to it by now,” the priestess smiled, “Taladren, I’ll be right back. Be good for the girls. Oh and if Kit comes, tell her I said hello.”

“Do  _I_ have to go?” Levi asked, “They won’t have anything but noodles…”

“Yes. You’re dealing with this too,” Mira drew her whip out, “Now then, Mother, be a dear and pull Beatricia to where Raine can hold her. Portals are hard enough as it is without everyone moving around.”

Leona didn’t blink when all of them vanished into flames, though Neri was staring with wide eyes.

“I see what y’mean,” she breathed, “Your family’s  _weird_.”

“…And I was  _adopted_ ,” she sighed wearily as she slumped, “…the General thought Mama was better for me than Kit too. So imagine how bad  _she_ was.”

Neri giggled and patted her back, “Come on, you said y’Uncle may come. Let’s see what we can whip up, DAVIE!”

“I’m right here, no need t’shout An,” he said, rolling up his sleeves, “An’ your lucky I can cook ‘Ona, otherwise you’d be eatin’ An’s…” he paused for a moment, “…Nope. Can’t even attempt. All she’s good for is orderin’ food.”

“I’ll get started on some more stuff too,” Leona giggled, ignoring Neri’s glare, “Hey Taladren, Merry, can you two set a few more spots on the table? Hey!” she suddenly grinned, “Neri! I have two grammas now!”

“…An’ y’didn’t even adopt either one,” she grinned, “Wonder wha’ y’Papa’s mama was like.”

“Probably a dragonslayer too,” Leona sighed wearily, “Hey, what about yours? Do you remember what she was like?”

“Uh, other than she seemed like a Queen of some sort, no,” Davon said, “An, ‘member t’huntin’ festival? When we were three?”

“…Vaguely,” she said, her smile fading, “Y’know, I bet she’d have liked you ‘Ona. I bet m’Mama would have too. Hey, wait, I do ‘member somethin’. She had a treasure hunt for us.”

“Never did finish it,” Davon added, “… Wonder if the prize is still there…”

“We’ll go find out soon,” Leona said, then blinked at both cousins staring at her, “What?”

“First off, y’ _grounded_. Second off, it’s in t’middle of the Ghostlands, in the really bad never been fixed up part, an’ third off, you ain’t findin’ out how rich my family was before the stupid March,”Neri thunked her in the head, “Now get on them noodles. We’re hungry. Davie! Less yakin’ and more cookin’!”

She rubbed her head and shrugged, following Davon into the kitchen, “It sounded like fun at least… but alright. We’ll get a map from Kit when she shows up instead. And we can go after I get off grounding!”

“If you ever  _get_ ungrounded!”


	21. Sparrin'

**Sparrin'**

“Okay, try this. The balance is still off, but it’s more suited for you.”

Neri twirled the staff that Leona had given her, “…Not tha’ far off, still a challenge w’out m’arm, but… not one I can’t handle.”

Her friend beamed, “I knew it! Now we can add a bit of actual sparring to our weapons drill in the mornings too. Cause at some point, we’re leaving the island.”

“Y’know, the fact that we  _need_  t’know how t’fight when we leave Atlas…”

“You  _know_  what I meant Neri!”

She stuck out her tongue, “But migh’ as well keep in practice. Jus’ cause I can’t use a bow now, don’t mean I can’t use t’other thin’ I was good at. Dragonsworn look good with polearms ‘nyways.”

“I’ll get a new one for you soon. Uh. Somehow. But practice staves work. Kit uses those and she fights with polearms all the time. Her favorite one she brought out of that Nightmare she and Luce were stuck in. There’s a story for it I bet,” Leona made a face, “But she doesn’t remember.”

“And tha’ means I can do extra flowy with m’armor,” Neri giggled as Leona made another face, “Oh come on! Y’gotta admit that having that fabric swirl around jus’ righ’ during a fight looks  _good_. And if y’do it righ’, it won’t get snagged, so _don’t_  give me tha’ ‘Ona.”  
  
“…I just rather my armor not be fancy,” she shrugged, then scrunched her nose, “But… I guess I see what you’re saying. Your style is like the ocean too, so flowing makes sense for you.”

Neri turned bright red, “Whaddya mean?”

“Just how it feels fighting you when you’re serious. If I’m not careful, you end up drowning me,” she placed her left hand behind her back and grabbed a practice sword, “Come on, I’ll handicap myself for the first few drills. See if you can remember some stuff. But after we have to do it right, Papa says you can’t expect everyone to accommodate you.”

“Why do you always close y’eyes when fightin’ then?”

“Papa says I can’t learn with my eyes open until I master fighting blind.”

Neri rolled her own eyes and then twirled the staff again, circling Leona until she was ready to begin, the red-head letting her call the shots for the first real sparring session since she came here.

_“N’fair! Neri tripped me!”_

_“It’s not nice Davon, but it’s fair. This isn’t one of the Arena sports matches, you wanted to learn how to defend your home,”Leona grinned, “And that’s the easiest trick to catch too. But her going for a polearm means she’s got a lot of reach you don’t with a sword, so you have to risk getting in close,” she hopped off the barrel she was sitting on, “Neri, you’re too tight. You have to loosen up bit. You’ll break your hand holding it like this if Davon gets a hit in.”_

_“Tha’ how you broke y’wrist?”_

_“Yeah, Training with Uncle Rizzy. I wasn’t careful,” she took the polearm, “Kit’s the one to ask about this, she’s a master of it, but see how it just goes? You don’t have to do a lot to get it to strike. Try it.”_

_Neri nodded. “I’d still rather use m’bow.”_

_“You may not be able to stay ranged. What happens if they find your nest? Davon’ll be all alone with no backup then. Besides, you can do what Kit does, she uses tricks like taunting and tripping, she says half of winning a fight is getting the other person unbalanced.”_

_Neri and Davon glanced at each other, then flatly stared at her, “How come y’always fight head-on then?” the cousins asked in unison._

_She grinned,_ _“Because_ nothing _unbalances someone like a kid half their size rushing at them with swords twice their size.”_

“Oof!” Neri fell into the sand, then winced as she sat up, “Coulda told me an’ Davie jus’ how strong y’were back then.”

Leona blinked, “…Sorry. I’ll try holding back.”

“Don’t y’dare, y’Papa will yell at you,” she got to her feet and moved back into her stance, “How many hits is it supposed to be anyways?”

“One-hundred.”

“…Y’Papa’s a mean bastard.”

“The first few weeks Mama made us quit by dinner ‘cause I had a hard time with getting them. And you got two in already!”

“Sure. Two in w’one arm behind y’back.”

“You got this Neri. I believe in you!” Leona grinned, “We’ll stop at sunrise, since Mama said no training past breakfast. But the morning that you get them, I’ll use both arms again.”

“An’ y’eyes are closed too. Geeze.”

“You know, Uncle Rizzy made himself completely undetectable,”she scrunched her nose in thought, “It’s how my wrist got broken back then, I dropped my sword and tried to grab him. So Papa’s right, I can’t trust my eyes. But I can’t trust my other senses too. Oh. Don’t stand on the rocks. Uncle Rizzy and Talah don’t either when practicing against me.”  
  
“Where t’hell am I ‘posed t’stand then?!?”

Leona only grinned, and Neri took a deep breath, then closed her eyes and centered herself. Trying to remember how she fought before the Rescue mission, before Hedgie had given her the void keeping the wound on her stomach closed…   
  
She moved forward and the sparring began again, and neither one talked. Neri was too busy trying to get past Leona’s defenses, Leona was too busy listening to Neri’s movements.  
  
Sunrise came and Neri was exhausted, slumping back down into the sand to catch her breath as Leona cleaned up the practice area.

“You did really good!” the red-head said cheerfully, “You got twenty-seven hits on me! So tomorrow you’ll get more, and I’ll use both swords by next week.”

“I’m dooooomed…” she whined.

“Nah, and I bet if you use some of the stuff Mama’s teaching you, it’d be really helpful.”  
  
Neri glared at her, then giggled, “No wonder I didn’t have any trouble w’ ‘Strider trainin’. You’re ten times worse than the instructors were, an’ Davie an’ I got  _used_  t’it. An’ what’s insultin’ is you were goin’  _easy_  on us back then!”

Leona blinked in confusion, “I’m just doing what Kit and Papa and Uncle Rizzy did?”

“They’re horrible!” she couldn’t stop laughing, “No wonder y’didn’t know how t’play when you came t’Port!”

“I know how to play!”  
  
“No y’don’t,” the sight of her friend’s puffed out cheeks made her burst into another fit of giggles, “It’s okay ‘Ona, Davie an’ Merry an’ I will teach ya.”  
  
Leona sighed and helped Neri up, “Come on. Let’s go get breakfast before Mama starts looking for us.”


	22. How To Ground Your Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes the Archiving of the Tumblr Posts!  
> Well. I still might do the Kids are Alright prompts and glimpses into the future.
> 
> BUT after that, anything will be posted to Pillowfort first, and then archived here with a bit more information on the RP surrounding it!

**How To Ground Your Dragon**

Leona woke up an hour before sunrise and ran down to Neri’s room to shake her awake, ignoring the usual complaints about it being cruel and unusual punishment to drag people out of bed this early in the morning. Her mother had allowed her to resume her training, but at a lessened pace. She was only given one hour of training in the morning and another in the evening, and Mira refused to budge when she tried to argue for three hours on both, saying that she had enough to do as it was and she was to start getting a decent night’s sleep.

Neri was alright with the run around the island and the weapons drill in the morning, despite her complaints, so long as the evening training was devoted to dragon things and Leona actually worked on using her sling. She attempted once to get Leona to use a bow, and then stared in absolute disbelief as the red head got tangled up in the string (Leona had pulled the bow too hard and she  _still_  wasn’t sure exactly what had happened next other than the entire thing had snapped in half).

Breakfast was rushed, Leona shoveled food into her mouth and then ran off for the day, giving Mira a kiss on the cheek, waving at Neri, and taking her lunch from Levi as she went out the door and headed towards her first odd job around Atlas, working on the Engine.  _That_  she enjoyed, the diamonds didn’t talk very much, except to tell her when something was off, and she mostly spent it learning from the succubi that worked there, suddenly having more aunts than she had uncles, and shaping more diamonds in case they were needed.

That job lasted the longest each day, she left right before noon to go get her outrigger canoe and sail around the island. This… wasn’t so much a _job_  as her other, though after moving the Wandering Isle to where Darnath asked her, Mira had suggested that she scout around each day in case there were any storms or enemies coming.

Leona loved it, so long as she didn’t go too far out from the island, she was allowed to sail until her lessons began. The stones didn’t call to her out here, they were muffled by the sea, and as long as she didn’t stick her head under the water, she couldn’t hear the Whispers beneath the waves that were steadily growing louder. Usually she fished during the sailing, bringing in as much as she could to Levi and the workers in the cafeteria.

Two hours later, she’d come back in, put  _Promise_  up, then deliver anything she caught and run to the lessons Mira had set up for her on strategy and diplomacy. After that, she’d look for Talah and take Udon down to her secret place (…granted by now nearly  _everyone_  at Atlas knew where the Cove was) to work on the unnamed Boat. Neri sometimes met her there, sometimes it’d be near dinner when they’d meet up again… her friend had her own lessons and work to do. One of them would fetch dinner and they’d eat it there, Mira was almost always working late in the laboratory, and then after they’d work on Dragon Training.

Neri  _was_  rather serious on that. She set up targets for Leona to work on her dragon breath and had worked with Haidee to make the stuffed dolls representing her friends to practice holding a rider (had even made a tiny saddle). Granted… Leona still couldn’t see or fly, her vision vanished as her  form changed and her eyes turned the pale red color, and her wings were  _far_  too runted and tattered, but she could run the obstacle course they had set up. And there were dummies to attack with her claws and teeth as well.

Neri had even gone so far as to get a target that Leona could chase, enchanting it at the beginning of every session so that it would make a great deal of noise and have a strong scent, and gradually lessening both so that they could train her hunting skills.

_That_  they sort of cheated on, especially after the first day. Mira had said only an hour of training, but they tended to spend much of the evening working on it. At first Leona had been embarrassed, she was after all, a  _very_  small dragon (really more an enchanted lizard or cat if her friends were to be believed), but as the days passed by, got a bit more confidence in that form of hers.

Afterwards, they would lay on the beach and stare up at the stars, quietly talking until curfew was nearly up, then they madly rushed to home and bed before Mira came to check on them and tell them lights out.  
  
Leona cheated a bit  _there_  too, talking quietly on Opal to Opossum and Dolphin, sometimes to Tiger, not quite ready to go to sleep, but not really wide awake either, and read one of her many books in her secret raised runes, often falling asleep with her fingers on the page in the middle of a great sword fight or daring rescue.  
  
Then an hour before the sun rose the next day, she’d get up, run to Neri’s room and rouse her out of bed, and the whole cycle began again.

She was beginning to forget that she was grounded, and Mira breathed a sigh of relief. The little dragon with azerite for her blood was safe for a little while longer. No dangerous rescue attempts, no dealings with assassins or pirates, no running off to protect someone perfectly capable of protecting themselves…  
  
…but she couldn’t be kept on the island forever. Mira just hoped that she could figure out what to do before anything  _else_  happened to the children. 


End file.
